Photo Essay: Convicts and Spraypaint on Cockatoo Island

Something I found fascinating about Sydney is that there are dozens of islands around it, mostly owned by the state government. Cockatoo Island, the largest of these islands, has had many lives, including stints as a prison for the thousands of convicts sent from England, a jail, an industrial school and a shipyard as late as 1992.

I had wanted to visit these islands earlier, but when I heard about the Outpost street art exhibit featuring works by the Banksy, I knew it would be the perfect thing to take Tommy to.

The day started out beautifully, the sun shining on the short ferry ride from Balmain. We wandered around the many exhibits, through what looked like an old war bunker and through a maze of warehouses. There were live demonstrations and lectures, as well as a DJ. It reminded me of Charleston‘s Kulture Klash, a night of music and art usually held in a warehouse.

I got hungry immediately after I smelled the food on the island. I was glad to see many choices, namely a cafe with run of the mill burgers, a pizzeria, a dumpling station and a noodle bar. It was overpriced, in my opinion, but that was to be expected for an event like this in a remote location.

The Island Bar was hopping, even when it got cloudy, so it could be a nice place to go for a Sunday session. I bought 2 ciders from one of the food carts and it was $13, so that gives you an idea of how far the prices go up from there.

Everyone really came for the Banksy exhibit, which was actually a collection of artwork with a few pieces by Banksy. There was a line to go upstairs into a warehouse, where you could see his framed pictures. As impressed as I was, I can imagine it’s not quite as good as seeing it “on the street.”

As much as I enjoyed the event, I found there to be a few problems that could have been fixed to make the day perfect. I was glad that once it started raining, event organizers handed out umbrellas since there was no covering to stand under while waiting in line for the ferries.

Because of the rain, everyone rushed to line up for ferries, but each one was full and Tommy and I waited for over an hour just to cross the harbor to Balmain. Security was ineffective and they let people jump on ferries while others were still waiting.

Water taxis picked up some of the irate passengers, but some of us were left fuming in the rain. While the rain and ferry schedule couldn’t be changed, effective security could be. But overall, it was a great day in a part of Sydney I had never explored.

Getting to Cockatoo Island

• Two ferries service the island, the Balmain/Woolwich and the Parramatta River services. Both can be accessed from Circular Quay, where you can buy tickets for $5.40 return adult.
• If you have a larger group or don’t want to wait for the ferry, water taxis are also available.
• Entrance to the island is free. There are no ATMs but there is a cafe and bar. You can picnic, but you cannot bring your own barbecues or alcohol.
• If you want to stay overnight, you can rent tents and campsites, as well as naval cottages and luxury houses.

Related Reading

• Outpost Project: the culture of Sydney street art, C’est Christine
• Choosing Street Art Over Graffiti, Bacon is Magic