Cockatoo Island, NSW
2.8 km (2 hrs )
★★★★☆

This fascinating island in Sydney Harbour is a wonderful place to explore, especially if you are interested in history. With regular ferry services, getting to and from the island is easy. Plan for at least a few hours to explore the many precincts on the island, including the docks and slipways, ship design area, the huge industrial complex and convict era ruins. The two tunnels are fascinating in themselves and provide for easy access from one side of the island to the other.

My young son and I spent a number of enjoyable hours on the island, exploring all of its secrets and having fun with the giant chess set - my son thought the way to play was to knock down all of the pieces!