Due to its placement at the junction of Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers, the Traditional Owners – the Wallumedegal people – know the area as Moocooboola, which means ‘the meeting of the rivers’.
The centrepiece of this destination is Woolwich Dock, which dates to 1901. The tradespeople of Woolwich Dock continue to proudly uphold the site's maritime legacy, offering boat owners a full range of repair and maintenance services. Local attractions include the ample picnic space afforded by Goat and Horse Paddocks, the Deckhouse Café and the harbour view from Woolwich Lookout.
Planning to visit? For a hassle-free experience, refer to the information below ahead of your trip.
By car: Woolwich Dock can be accessed via Woolwich Road and Franki Avenue.
By ferry and bus: The 538 bus service connects with the ferry service from Valentia Street Woolwich Wharf. For public transport information, including timetables, visit the Transport NSW website.
Private boat: Woolwich Dock features a jetty and pontoon, where people can pick up and drop off passengers by boat.
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There are several paid parking facilities near Woolwich Dock and Parklands, including the Clarkes Point Reserve car park (access via Clarke Road) and the Horse Paddock car park (access via Margaret Street). Parking fees apply between 8am and 8pm daily. Parking permits issued by Hunters Hill Council are not valid in the Horse Paddock parking area. Overnight parking or camping is not permitted.
Woolwich Dock is accessible by wheelchair from Clarke Road while nearby Goat Paddock has steep inclines and stairs. Toilet facilities are located in the saw-tooth building at Woolwich Dock and in the Merrington Place car park.
In the event of an emergency, dial 000 or 112 if mobile reception is poor. Additionally, you can contact one of the rangers and security personnel who patrol nearby Cockatoo Island. To contact a ranger during an emergency, call 0434 652 153 (7am to 4pm daily). Alternatively, to contact a security officer, call 0433 632 791 (4pm to 7am daily).
For your own safety, and to protect the site’s flora and fauna, please observe the following rules, enforceable by our rangers:
Conditions of entry: Do not go fishing or feed wildlife; do not litter or dump rubbish; do not camp overnight; do not erect gazebos or marquees (without a permit); do not operate remote-controlled vehicles (including drones); do not smoke on bush tracks, light fires or use portable barbeques; do not play amplified music (without a permit) or create excessive noise; do not undertake commercial activities (without a permit); do not hold private functions (without a permit); do not disturb plants, soil and rocks; do not climb walls, fortifications, sculptures or cliffs; do not ride or use skateboards, roller-skates, in line skates or similar equipment on Harbour Trust land. For further information, see: Sydney Harbour Federation Trust (SHFT) Regulations 2021
A harbourside restaurant and function centre is located at the entrance to Woolwich Dock.
Deckhouse is an award-winning waterfront café that pairs an inspired menu with immersive views of Sydney Harbour. Breakfast and lunch are served 7 days a week, and the venue also offers takeaway.
Experience a taste of France in your own backyard with the grand opening of Le Marché French Market at Woolwich Dock and Parklands in Hunters Hill.
Each month, Woolwich Dock and Parklands will come alive with Le Marché French Market, Australia's only monthly authentic French market. Operating from 9am until 1pm, the market is an opportunity to discover an impressive selection of gourmet French food and artisanal crafts.
Looking for a place to rest and relax on Sydney Harbour? Woolwich Dock and Parklands represent an opportunity to unwind on the waterfront.
Key objects and landmarks have been awoken Woolwich Dock and Parklands … and they’re eager to have a conversation with you! Look out for the aqua and off-white "Hello" signs, and have your mobile device ready, to engage in a lively and informative text message conversation.
Pack a picnic and head to Horse Paddock or Goat Paddock for sweeping views of Sydney Harbour, including the Harbour Bridge, the CBD and Cockatoo Island.
Head to Woolwich Dock, the home of supermaxi yachts including Sydney to Hobart contenders, and watch as these vessels are lifted in and out of the water or pull in and out of port.
Positioned high above the historic dock's sandstone basin, Woolwich Lookout offers an incredible vantage point of the maritime precinct as well as Sydney Harbour.
This area is known to its Traditional Owners, the Wallumedegal, as Moocooboola meaning ‘the meeting of the rivers.’ This is due to its location at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers.
Woolwich Dock was constructed between 1899 and 1901 and is a rare example of a private graving dock. During the First and Second World Wars, it was used to convert passenger vessels into troop carriers and repair damaged ships. Between 1963 and 1997, the dock supported the Army’s water-based transport operations and, in 2004, it received Commonwealth Heritage listing.
Owing to the transformation of the site, following European Settlement, signs of First Nations inhabitation are no longer visible. However, it is understood that First Nations people lived in the area for thousands of years. Further, Aboriginal sites have been identified in neighbouring areas Kelly’s Bush and Clarkes Point Reserve.
[Image: Sonoma (c. 1901 to 1934) at Woolwich Dock, Unknown photographer, Hunters Hill Historical Society]