See and do 
Our two high school programs – Social and Maritime Case Study and History Site Study – each support several key syllabus areas of the NSW Curriculum and have been designed to foster enquiry-based learning. Critically, students will have fun as they interact with historical artefacts from different eras and explore one of the most extraordinary places on Sydney Harbour.
Suitable for students studying history for their HSC, this program is an opportunity for budding historians to examine Cockatoo Island’s place in Australia’s historical narrative from a variety of perspectives. Leveraging the island’s extensive historical sources, students will develop an awareness of the validity of multiple viewpoints.
Through an evaluation of primary and secondary historical sources on Cockatoo Island, students (Year 7 to Year 10) will gain rich insights into Australia’s major social, political and technological developments. This program is complemented by post-visit activities that will further help students to hone their historical enquiry and writing skills, including their ability to use historical language, and identify and organise information using information and communication technologies, and organise information.
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.
If your group is travelling to Cockatoo Island by ferry, each person will need to be in possession of an Opal Card with sufficient funds. Alternatively, you can pre-purchase Opal One Day Travel Passes for their entire group. To arrange Opal One Day Travel Passes for your group, visit opaldaypass.transport.nsw.gov.au.
On-street parking is available for cars near the ferry wharves at Woolwich, Greenwich, Chiswick, Huntleys Point, Drummoyne, Birchgrove and Balmain. The Clarkes Point Reserve Carpark (access via Clarke Road, Woolwich) offers parking for coaches and is a short walk from the Woolwich ferry wharf.
Enquiry form
In addition to our two high school programs, we also accept private bookings from schools for our Haunted History, Convict Precinct and Group History Tours. To arrange one of these tours for your class, please complete our school program form.
Warning to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples: Our high school programs contain stories (and may contain images and/or visuals) of deceased people.
Island conditions: Most areas of the island are wheelchair accessible; however, there is a steep incline from the lower island to the upper plateau, and – owing to the island’s industrial heritage – there are uneven surfaces as well as some buildings not accessible by wheelchair
What to bring: Suitable walking shoes, sun protection, wet weather gear (if needed) and packed lunches.
Weather: Bookings for our high school programs will proceed regardless of weather conditions except in the event that ferry services advise against travelling to Cockatoo Island due to extreme weather conditions.
Cancellations: If you decide to cancel a booking, please provide 48 hours’ notice to avoid being charged a fee to cover casual staff costs.
Helpful links
Harbour Trust
Visit overview
Cockatoo Island
Headland Park
Macquarie Lightstation
North Head Sanctuary
Sub Base Platypus
Woolwich Dock and Parklands
