Islands in Sydney
THE 10 BEST Sydney Islands
Islands in Sydney
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Types of Attractions
Nature & Parks
Nature & Parks
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Travelers' Choice Awards winners (including the "Best of the Best" title) are among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor, according to the reviews and opinions of travelers across the globe.
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- Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, number of page views, and user location.
Islands
What travelers are saying
- Mairwen1United Kingdom11,168 contributionsThis barren island fortress sits smack in the middle of Sydney Harbour. It’s the one you go right past whenever you catch a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly.
It’s forbidding and stark.
A relic of convict Sydney and the early days of the colony, the island has a spine-chilling history.
From the first days of the colony, it was used as a particularly nasty punishment. Convicts were left on the island in iron chains for a week or more with nothing other than bread and water, earning the island the name ‘Pinchgut’.
In 1796 the British authorities went one step further. They installed a hanging gallows.
Within months, they had put it to use. The first man hung there was a murderer, Francis Morgan. HIs body was left hanging on the gallows for 4 years, to be picked at by birds, until there was just a skeleton left.
It was a particularly vivid warning as the skeleton could be easily seen from the mainland and was intended as a deterrent.
Later in the 1850s, the distinctive Martello fort, gun batteries and barracks were built . Alarmed by the Crimean War, the fortress was part of a defence system to protect against possible invasion by the Russians.
Normally you can visit the Fort Denison and have lunch there but it is currently closed for maintenance on the seawalls and wharf and won't re-open for visits until the end 2022.Written April 12, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Geeta BSydney, Australia21 contributions45 mins cruise ride away from Sydney CBD but a lovely small island with best view of Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera house & Sydney skyline. Worth visiting for a small picnic and great place for snorkeling if interested.Written February 16, 2018This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- nick164Sydney, Australia2,373 contributionsThe Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre / Museum located in the public access area of Garden Island is one of the city's best kept secrets. It's a short ferry ride from Circular Quay (as of Nov 2019, only open on Sundays due to building works). Entry is free. There's lots to see - both inside and outside of the main museum building. The exhibits are well laid out (telling the history of the RAN from its establishment to present times) and well signed. Highly recommended to visit (and quiet, given it's not a well known attraction)!
Tip, be sure to check out the view from the roof of the old signals building located at the top end of the gardens.Written November 9, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - PstraussBeecroft, Australia40 contributionsScotland Island is a residential island not set up for the day tripper. But the ferry ride is one of the wonders of the world, for the price of a ferry ticket plus parking. Bring your dog: he won't mind that there's no cafe, public toilets or facilities. A local lady told us it's best to get off the ferry at Tennis Court stop, and get back on at Bell's Wharf. That was after we'd finished the steep and not scenic Bell's Wharf to Tennis Court pinch. Yes, you can bring dogs on the ferry. Another lady recommended that a good dog walk is to get off at the Hall's ferry stop, on the mainland, and walk 40 mins to the Lovatt's Bay terminal. There's apparently a dog park in Bayview where dogs can swim too. If you've read Susan Duncan's books set in the area, you will know it is doggie heaven!Written August 19, 2016This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Jeffry bEssendon, Australia13,585 contributionsGoat Island is a small island in Sydney Harbor, It was established in 1836, where it was used to house convicts and to quarry stone. Goat Island has some interesting relics. It also has a cafe, where you can get a cup of coffee and something to eat. Goat Island can be reached by ferry from Circular Quay, which includes a tour of the island. Goat Island is a small, but interesting island, it's worth a tripWritten July 7, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- greigysydney61 contributionsVery poorly organised event. Waited forever to get on the ferry from city. Came down cats and dogs on way over. The organisers would of known about the predicted wet weather. No catering for this whatsoever. Little tents to fit 400 people out of the weather. We were drenched. Food was so badly organised. The tables with food were placed so close together you could not access the food. Cues everywhere getting soaked. Pathetic timber cutlery that snapped in half first use. The drink area was mobbed with no one or thing to organise cues. People just plonked all over the place waiting to get a thimble full serve of wine for $9. Such greed. Then at 9.30pm they ran out of soft drinks. Nothing for the non drinkers. Desert was a joke. They brought one platter of cakes out which disappeared in 2 seconds flat. Too bad for the others. They should of allocated a ticket for desert and this would prevent people swooping in taking handfuls. Welcome drink was gone when we got there. Too bad for us. I got the feeling this was organised by young people ie back packers that had no clue on how to organise and cater for 400 people. And all of this came at the privilege of paying $410. I was extremely embarrassed for all the foreign tourists attending this event. What sort of stories would they take home about this disastrous event. Only positive thing was the fireworks. And you could of seen them for free anywhere in Sydney. Go to another event where you are assured of value for money and not greed focused organisers. InWritten January 12, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- UnitedSolarFlare6 contributionsThe place had a top view hill to look out from except we decided not to go up there. Below, going through the hill is a tunnel that’s been modernised by adding a wooden floor and metal walls consisting of a few openings to the actual cave lighted up. Of course, you can only see it through net though. Overall, I think we just didn’t tour the place the right way but I think it is still a pretty good experience if you’re thinking of going! :DWritten July 13, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- MAngelUyMacquarie Park, Australia284 contributionsGreat for paddling! Not much traffic, no ferries, always calm in the water.
You can kayak, canoe, ski, row or SUP.Written January 12, 2018This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Liz SBrooklyn, Australia29 contributionsYou need your own boat to explore here. Situated just off the M1(F3) north of Sydney and overlooking Brooklyn and Mooney Mooney.Written February 24, 2015This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- JGDynamoCanada2,084 contributionsWe were able to have a quick look at Snapper Island due to a friend of ours who had formerly worked with the Sea Cadets in Sydney Harbour. We landed a boat on the island for a few minutes before being asked to leave quite pleasantly and then we were off to our next stop, around the harbor to Manly Beach.Written June 16, 2016This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
