Our program of guided tours caters for history buffs and outdoor enthusiasts as well as families and social groups, including Probus groups and historical societies. For self-guided experiences, try our 90-minute Audio Tour at Cockatoo Island or our free Talking Object Tour (available at select destinations), which brings historic landmarks to life.
Cost: From $6 | Duration: 30 mins | Available: Friday 21 February at 10am and 11am
Get a taste for North Head Sanctuary in Manly – and explore a Second World War era structure off limits to general visitors – on this bite-sized tour, ideal for new visitors including families!
Cost: From $16 | Duration: 60 mins | Available: Saturdays at 1:30pm & select weekdays (until Feb 2025)
During this tour, our guide will lead you through the turbulent history of the island's former penal establishment.
Cost: From $16 | Duration: 90 mins | Available: Select Friday nights at 5:30pm and 7:30pm
As you visit iconic landmarks and buildings from different eras, our guide will blend history with mystery to captivate your imagination.
Cost: From $16 | Duration: 60 mins | Available: Saturdays at 11am, Sundays at 1:30pm & select weekdays (until Feb 2025)
Want a crash course in Cockatoo Island's history? This guided tour charts the island's transformation and different uses across time.
Cost: From $16 | Duration: 60 mins | Available: Private group bookings only
The Lower Island Tour is an engaging 60-minute journey through Cockatoo Island’s storied history and an accessible sightseeing activity for less mobile visitors.
Cost: From $16 | Duration: 60 mins | Available: Sundays at 11am & select weekdays (until Feb 2025)
Visit key landmarks – including the convict-built Fitzroy Dock, the cathedral-like Turbine Shop and Sutherland Dock – and learn how the dockyard evolved across the span of 135 years.
Cost: From $8 | Duration: 90 mins | When: 10:45am, first Sunday of every month
Our knowledgeable volunteer guide will lead you through 2 sets of demilitarised forts, including tunnels normally off limits to the public.
Cost: From $8 | Duration: 1 hour 45mins | When: 10:30am, 11:30am, 1pm and 2pm every Sunday
The Defence of Sydney Tour is an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the men and women who served at North Fort.
Cost: From $8 | Duration: 60 mins | Hours: 11am to 12pm, select Sundays
During this volunteer-run tour, a knowledgeable guide will share stories of those who succumbed to small pox and other epidemics.
Cost: $6 | Duration: approx. 90 mins | Available from the Visitor Centre (10am to 4pm daily)
Featuring an informative narrator, immersive sound effects and archival interviews, our Cockatoo Island Audio Tour paints a vivid picture of the island’s convict and maritime eras across 26 audio stops.
Awaken history with our self-guided Talking Object and Animal Tour, available across 6 destinations! Speak directly to iconic objects about their incredible stories OR have your visitor questions answered by our talking animals. Available at Cockatoo Island, Headland Park, North Head Sanctuary, Sub Base Platypus, Macquarie Lightstation and Woolwich Dock & Parklands.
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