Cockatoo Island Family Tour

With ferry rides, historic landmarks, wide-open spaces, and now a brand-new self-guided family tour designed especially for kids aged 6 to 10, Cockatoo Island is packed with affordable (and even free!) ways to keep young minds and bodies busy.

‘Our Day at Cockatoo Island’ is an excellent way for young adventurers, under adult supervision, to engage in a range of fun activities (such as drawing, creative writing and games) as they visit iconic landmarks and delve into the island’s history as a dockyard and jail.

Equipped with a colourful tour booklet – and guided by a series of pink cockatoo ground stickers – families will visit eight stops across the lower and upper island. Along the way, they’ll meet Burriburri the whale, communicate like a sailor… and have fun the good old-fashioned convict way!

To enjoy this family tour, head to the visitor centre (open 10am to 4pm) and purchase the ‘Our day at Cockatoo Island’ booklet.

Available in both English and Simplified Chinese for just $5, it includes all the essentials for a fun day out – a map of the tour route, details for each stop, a pencil and a pair of paper flags. For an extra $12, pick up an ‘I visited Cockatoo Island’ tote bag – a convenient and cool way to carry your tour booklet.

Whether you’re coming for a couple of hours or planning a full day out, there’s plenty more to explore:

• Discover eye-catching landmarks from the island’s convict and dockyard eras
• Pop by Marina Café & Bar for an ice cream or hot chocolate
• Head up to Biloela Lawn for a picnic against the epic backdrop of Sydney Harbour
• Take advantage of the sprawling green space to pass a ball, fly a kite, or ride a scooter.
• Book a family-friendly guided tour. Island Highlights Tour, Convict Prison Tour, and Shipyard Tales Tour are available weekends plus select weekdays (until the end of the winter holidays). Note: While the new family tour is for kids aged 6 to 10, these guided tours are best suited for kids aged 10+.
• Camp overnight at Cockatoo Island! Affordable options include the BYO tent and basic camping packages. The Deluxe two-bedroom package also offers the convenience of two interconnected tents with a sheltered table area.
• Families that visit on the first Tuesday of every month have an opportunity to see the Iron Giants (i.e. historic steam cranes) in action.

For more ideas on things for families to do, browse the family itineraries page. It provides a good visual breakdown of what people can achieve in their available timeframe.