Sydney once had a prison island for exiling convicts, now transformed into a trendy art island

In Sydney, there was also a prison island for exiling convicts—Cockatoo Island. The small island is home to many historically significant remains, including cells, solitary confinement rooms, cellars, tunnels, and huge granaries. It also retains a large number of industrial relics, such as dilapidated factory buildings and abandoned docks. Nowadays, these abandoned factories have a unique charm; coming here to take a set of post-modern heavy metal photos is not a bad idea. It has transformed into a fashionable art island, a great place for many Sydneysiders to relax, camp, and unwind on weekends.

A distant view of Cockatoo Island from the sea.

Above the entrance to the island, it reads: "Cockatoo Island".

The ferry terminal waiting room on the island retains its most primitive state.

Currently, Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour, located off the coastlines of Birchgrove and Woolwich. After a series of renovations, the island is now a historic landmark and open to the public.

I thought there would be many large Australian cockatoos on Cockatoo Island, but after taking a boat to the island and walking around it, I didn't see a single one; instead, I saw an abundance of post-industrial shipyard ruins. Later, I learned that cockatoos go out to forage during the day and only return to Cockatoo Island to roost at night.

Cockatoo Island is open to the public year-round. Visitors can stay in sea-view suites, apartments, or camping tents.

Originally, Cockatoo Island was a bare rock with steep cliffs. Over 300 convicts spent 11 years blasting and cutting through the rock, creating a unique landscape where the central part of the island is cliffs and the surrounding area is low, flat land.

In the 18th century, when Australia became a British colony, the island was used to exile convicts. It was the largest overseas prison of Britain at the time, surrounded by sea on all sides, making escape impossible.

Before the arrival of the British, the island was merely a bare rock covered with trees. The British named it "Cockatoo Island" because flocks of cockatoos once perched in the trees on the island. Thus, although it is called Cockatoo Island, it is not closely related to cockatoos; rather, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List due to its history of exiling convicts.

Today, the island retains a large number of industrial relics, such as dilapidated workshops, abandoned docks, and rusty equipment (one of which is a Hercules crane as tall as a 20-story building, capable of lifting 150 tons of objects).

In 1984, the famous HMAS Success AOR-304, a oil and ammunition replenishment ship of the Royal Australian Navy, was launched here. It also participated in the search for MH370 in the Indian Ocean. Now, the island preserves many industrial remains: dilapidated factory buildings, abandoned docks (the South Dock built in 1880 once berthed large ships 210.30 meters long, 26.8 meters wide, and 8 meters high. During World War II, it hosted 750 ships and repaired 350 damaged warships).

Today, Cockatoo Island is picturesque, located at the heart of Sydney Harbour, offering some of Sydney's most beautiful views: Clarkes Point to the north, Spectacle Island to the west, White Horse Point to the south, and across Yurulbin Point to the east lies the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney CBD.

Now, the island has many historically significant remains, including cells, solitary confinement rooms, cellars, tunnels, and huge granaries. Among them, the jailer's office and dormitory were used from 1839 to 1869 to hold repeat offenders. In 1869, it became a women's reformatory and a juvenile detention center. From 1888 to 1909, it became an ordinary prison. In 2010, Cockatoo Island, along with ten other Australian convict sites, was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Of course, to truly understand this multifaceted charming island, you must bathe in the sunshine, feel the sea breeze, take a cruise, and personally set foot on this island, which is part of the Sydney Harbour National Park. There, you will hear the historical stories behind it, and from the scarred buildings and rust-stained machines, you will feel a modern sense.

The former prison remains are preserved here.

Now, this abandoned shipyard and its empty factories have a unique charm. Taking a set of post-modern heavy metal photos here is not a bad idea.

Today, it has transformed into a fashionable art island, a great place for many Sydneysiders to relax, camp, and unwind on weekends.

Thanks to its unique geographical location, it is also one of the excellent spots to watch the Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks.