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Our engaging high school programs – Social and Maritime Case Study and History Site Study – support key syllabus areas of the NSW Curriculum and foster enquiry-based learning.
Importantly, students will have fun as they engage with historical artefacts from different eras and explore one of the most extraordinary places on Sydney Harbour.
Through an evaluation of primary and secondary sources, Year 7 to 10 students will gain insights into Australia’s major social, political and technological developments.
The History Site Study is complemented by worksheets that can be printed out at school and brought on the excursion. The worksheets aim to increase students ability to identify and organise their historical learning during the excursion.
Is your history class preparing for the Higher School Certificate? We recommend Social and Maritime Case Study.
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.
Planning to visit? Refer to the information below ahead of your trip.
Ferries: 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.
Opal cards: 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.
Our high school programs contain stories (and may contain images and/or visuals) of deceased people.
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
Suitable walking shoes, sun protection, wet weather gear (if needed) and packed lunches.
If you decide to cancel a booking, please provide 48 hours’ notice to avoid being charged a fee to cover casual staff costs.
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.
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Interested in visiting Cockatoo Island as part of a school excursion? Here are some useful resources.
Cockatoo Island is one of 11 historic sites that together form the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property.
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