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Primary and high school education programs
- All bookings are charged at a minimum of 10 students. Bookings for less than 10 students are welcome.
- Schools will be invoiced after the excursion for the number of students in attendance on the day. Please note this does not include the cost of ferry travel.
- Due to high demand, we recommend you book at least 2 months in advance.
- Teachers and supervisors (including SLSOs, Teacher’s Aides and/or AEOs) are free of charge. Please ensure you have adequate supervision for your students (1:10 for primary school and 1:15 for high school).
Homeschool programs
- Homeschool bookings are organised by groups up to a maximum of 30 visitors per group. Visitors per group includes students and parents/carers.
- All homeschool bookings are charged at a minimum of 10 visitors per group. Bookings for less than 10 visitors per group are welcome.
- Two parents/carers per group, as well as children below school age, are free of charge.
- Due to high demand, we recommend you book at least 2 months in advance.
By ferry
- 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, Darling Harbour 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. To pre-purchase Opal One Day Travel Passes for your entire group, click here.
- If you are catching a ferry to Cockatoo Island with a large group, we encourage you to notify Harbour City Ferries by email. Please ensure they are made aware of the size of your group, the ferry service you intend to use (e.g. F3 Parramatta Service @ 10am on 17 July) and where you are travelling to and from (e.g. Circular Quay to Cockatoo Island).
Nearby parking
- On-street parking is available for cars near the ferry wharves at Woolwich, Greenwich, Chiswick, Huntleys Point, Drummoyne, Birchgrove and Balmain.
- The Harbour Trust has a car park at the Hunters Hill Sailing Club (accessible via Clarke Road, Woolwich). The car park can accommodate a coach and is a short walk from the Woolwich ferry wharf. Email education@harbourtrust.gov.au to arrange parking.
The following school programs are available at a cost of $14 per student (teachers/supervisors FREE):
- Stage 1: Making History (Years 1 and 2)
- Stage 2: Convict Times (Years 3 and 4)
- Stage 3: Then, Now and Tomorrow (Years 5 and 6)
- Stage 4 & 5: History Site Study (Years 7 to 10)
In addition, our Dark Past Tour is available for school group with a confirmed campground booking. Dark Past is also $14 per student, and teachers/supervisors able to join for free.
Does your school group have a confirmed campground booking with us? Enrich your stay by arranging either a guided school program or our Dark Past Tour.
Guided school programs are available to confirmed school camping groups from Mondays to Thursdays between 2:30pm and 4pm.
Our Dark Past Tour is also available at the above times to school group with a confirmed campground booking.
Between Monday to Thursday, we can accommodate schools for the following timeslots:
- 10am to 11:30am
- 12:30pm to 2pm
- 2:30pm to 4pm (school camping groups only)
