Cockatoo Island / Wareamah

Last updated October 2026

Harbour island reached by ferry with convict-era buildings, giant shipyard sheds, a kids' self-guided tour, picnic lawns and camping.

Cockatoo Island / Wareamah is a former convict gaol and shipyard in the middle of Sydney Harbour, run by the Harbour Trust and reached by public ferry (the F3 and F8 services run daily, and it is about 9 minutes from Barangaroo). Families can walk through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Convict Precinct and solitary confinement cells, peer into the convict-built docks, walk through the huge Turbine Shop and Tunnel 1, fly a kite on the Eastern Apron. A self-guided family tour booklet for kids aged 6 to 10, with a convict game and the First Nations story of Burriburri the whale, costs $5 from the Visitor Centre (as of October 2026). There are guided tours, audio tours, free barbecues, two cafes, toilets with baby change, and a waterfront campground. The island is open daily from the first ferry arrival to the last ferry departure; the Visitor Centre aims to open 10am to 4pm. Kids can ride bikes and scooters with a helmet. No cars or BYO alcohol, and there are some uneven surfaces.

Facts checked against the venue's own website on 17 October 2026.