Hear from island apprentices in the film ‘Cockatoo Apprentice’ and discover the secret convict fight club, reimagined on screen. Photographs of the island’s shipbuilding era bring to life its industrial past while the stories of its ex-residents provide a different way of seeing the island.
When you’ve had your fill of island history take a seat on the verandah and enjoy the view.
The most important residence on Cockatoo Island, it was built by convict labour in 1841 from island sandstone. Built on the highest point of the island to monitor the prisoners and observe the island’s activities, Biloela House first served as residence for the island's Prison Superintendent, Charles Ormsby. With the help of prison labour, the house was expanded and in 1860 became the home of Gother Kerr Mann, Superintendent and Engineer in Chief until the closure of the prison in 1869.
Plan your trip to Cockatoo Island, here.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and Owners of the lands, waters and sky of Sydney Harbour, including the extraordinary places we manage and protect. Today, the homelands of the Borogegal, Birrabirragal, Cammeraygal, Gadigal, Gayamagal, Wallumedegal and Wangal peoples host destinations under our stewardship. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging.
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