Birchgrove, Ballast Point Park, Goat Island

This view through the bushes and benches is from Ballast Point Park, in the inner west suburb of  Birchgrove. Golden Grove is the First Fleet Class ferry, which has just departed from Balmain ferry wharf in Mort Bay, is making its way through Sydney Harbour past Goat Island, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background.

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Goat Island

Goat Island is located in Sydney Harbour, at the junction of Darling Harbour and close to the suburb of Balmain East. The island has been has served as a sandstone quarry, convict stockade, explosives store, police station, fire station, boatyard and film set. This view is from Ballast Point at Birchgrove. The Sydney Harbour Bridge can be seen in the background, behind the island. It was known as Memill by indigenous people and there is considerable debate about how the name Goat Island was derived. One interpretation is that early settlers thought, if viewed from the air, it may appear to look like a goat.

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Cockatoo Island, walkway

This walkway along the northern shore of Cockatoo Island is punctuated by trees and benches. The rusty steel benches are a reminder of the shipbuilding history of Cockatoo Island and provide views of the Parramatta River and the nearby northern suburb of Woolwich.

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Cockatoo Island, Fitzroy Dock

Cockatoo Island has a long history of ship repair and shipbuilding activities. Fitzroy Dock was the first dry dock, built using convict labour between 1847 and 1857. Shipbuilding began on the island in 1870 with the construction of dredges, barges and tugs. Nearby Sutherland Dock was built with free labour between 1882 and 1890. In 1913, Cockatoo Island became the naval dockyard of the Royal Australian Navy and grew to become Australia's biggest shipbuilding and dockyard facility. The shipyard closed in 1992 but many of the workshops, docks and equipment were retained.

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Cockatoo island, Biennale, ferry

The Royale, Regal and Proclaim are restored deck timber ferries that provided free ferry services between the art exhibitions during the 17th Biennale of Sydney. The services ran between Pier 2 at Walsh Bay, the Commissioner's Steps at Circular Quay and Cockatoo Island.
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Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour, located at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers. The island was originally heavily timbered in red gums which attracted many sulphur-crested cockatoos. This view is from the northern suburb of Woolwich.