Cost: $10 per person, $35 per family | When: 17 Jan from 10:30am to 12:30pm
Attend a special storytime session with Dr Sarah Luke! The author will read from Marion and the Forty Thieves – her new novel, partially set on the island. Sarah will also sign copies of her novel and run a creative writing workshop for young readers.
Cost: $35 per person, kids free | When: Saturday afternoons from 11 Jan to 5 Apr (excl. 8 Feb)
Everyone’s favourite live music series is back! Grab tickets for Sunset Sessions 2025 and spend your Saturday afternoons in the heart of Sydney Harbour!
Cost: Free | When: 4 Feb from 10:30am to 1:30pm
Pop by the Docks Precinct to see a demonstration of a steam crane that dates to the island’s storied dockyard era (1857 to 1992). Steam and spectacle – plus some toots and whistles – guaranteed!
Cost: From $16 per person | When: Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays
Until 31 January (excluding public holidays), we're running additional guided tours throughout the week, alongside our regular weekend tours. Choose from 3 all-ages tours: Shipyard Tales Tour, Convict Prison Tour or Island Highlights Tour.
Planning to visit? For a hassle-free experience, refer to the information below ahead of your trip.
The easiest way to get to Cockatoo Island is by public ferry. The F3 and F8 services operate to Cockatoo Island daily, departing from Circular Quay and Barangaroo as well as from wharves along Parramatta River. For further information, including timetables, visit the Transport NSW website. You can also visit Cockatoo Island by water taxi, private boat or kayak.
Our Visitor Centre relies on the generosity and availability of our volunteers. While we endeavour to open from 10am to 4pm daily, we cannot guarantee the centre will always be open.
Cockatoo Island is a former industrial site with cliffs and steep drops as well as occasional unmarked and uneven surfaces, voids, and trip hazards. For your safety, mind your step, wear appropriate footwear, stay alert for vehicles and construction activity, and monitor any children with you. The lower island is generally accessible by wheelchairs and mobility scooters; however, there are uneven surfaces, and some buildings are not suited to mobility aids. Further, accessing the plateau requires visitors to climb stairs and ascend rises. The campground is wheelchair accessible, with a dedicated shower and toilet available; however, tents have a step to enter, which is not suitable for wheelchair access. Priority works and major events may disrupt visitor access to areas of Cockatoo Island. Check our website for details and speak to our Visitor Centre staff for help, including alternative routes.
Cockatoo Island has wheelchair access, toilet facilities (including accessible toilets), vending machines, barbeques, showers, an Opal card top-up machine, a kitchen (for exclusive use by campers), free Wi-Fi (enquire at the Visitor Centre) and gold coin operated lockers. Located in the Muster Station, each locker contains power outlets for charging devices. Small lockers (20cm x 20cm x 40cm) are available $2 for eight hours or $4 for 24 hours. Medium lockers (30cm x 40cm x 60cm) are available for $4 for eight hours or $8 for 24 hours. Large lockers (55cm x 60cm x 90cm) are available for $8 for eight hours or $12 for 24 hours.
The Harbour Trust maintains public toilets at Cockatoo Island, and these facilities are listed on the Department of Health’s National Public Toilet Map. The toilets available at this destination are listed below:
Can't find what you're looking for? Our FAQs page contains further visitor information.
Looking to visit, stay or tour Cockatoo Island? Here are some useful links.
Cockatoo Island is one of 11 historic sites that together form the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property.
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