Cockatoo Island - Sydney Harbour NSW, Australia
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endeavour3
N 33° 50.745 W 151° 10.375
5S E 669042 N 3746554
Cockatoo Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove River in Sydney Harbour
Waymark Code: WM1676N
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 05/23/2022
Views: 2
First Nations
Cockatoo Island intersects the homelands of the Wallumedegal, Wangal, Cammeraygal and Gadigal Peoples who know it as Wareamah. With ample evidence of Aboriginal inhabitation on the surrounding and opposite shores, the first visitors to the island were the First Nations Peoples of Sydney.
Convict Era
Cockatoo Island became a penal establishment in 1839. For the prisoners, life on the island was cruel, but their efforts were crucial to the ambitious building projects of the new colony. The island is still seen as one of the best surviving examples of convict transportation and forced labour and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Reform School
From 1871 to 1880, Cockatoo island was the site of an industrial school and reformatory for girls. These institutions were set up to deal with orphans and juvenile delinquents but were badly mismanaged. Conversely, a successful, well-kept training ship for boys was moored nearby as a juxtaposition to the treatment of the young women.
Maritime Era
Cockatoo Island’s pivotal role in Australia’s industrial and maritime history began with a large dry dock that was completed in 1857. Many years of onsite shipbuilding followed, and in 1913, the island was the official dockyard of the Royal Australian Navy. During WWII, the island was the main ship repairing facility in the southwest Pacific, with around 250 ships converted or repaired.
Current Use
The island is managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust which is also responsible for seven other lands around Sydney Harbour and is open to visitors, with free admission. There are regularly ferry services to Cockatoo Island from Circular Quay & Darling Harbour.
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