Camp on Sydney Harbour: Family Camping at Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island is the only place on Sydney Harbour where your family can actually spend the night. Situated in the middle of one of the world's most iconic harbours, the island's waterfront campground offers Sydney families an affordable island getaway without the need for a flight or a long drive!

Free to enter, easy to reach by public ferry, and open year-round, Cockatoo Island is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed destination that is well worth the visit for a fun school holiday day out, a weekend adventure or a spontaneous family staycation.

Camp on Sydney Harbour: Family Camping at Cockatoo Island

Sitting right in the middle of Sydney Harbour, Cockatoo Island is the only island on the harbour where families can pack up their tent, hop on a ferry, and wake up to a sunrise over the water. Whether your crew is after a back-to-basics camping adventure or something a little more comfortable, Cockatoo Island's waterfront campground has options to suit most budgets, family sizes and comfort levels. And when the sunsets and the day-trippers have gone home, the island is all yours.

Sydney's Most Scenic Campground

There's something genuinely special about watching the sun rise and fall over Sydney Harbour. The Cockatoo Island campground offers front row seats to a unique spectacle: the sun setting and rising on the world’s best harbour - and honestly, it never gets old.

The campground is set on the waterfront and surrounded by the island's incredible historic buildings and open green spaces - a pretty extraordinary backdrop for toasting marshmallows!

Camping Options to Suit Every Family

The campground offers a range of affordable options, from BYO tent spots to basic camping packages with pre-erected tents. For a little more space and comfort, the deluxe two-bedroom package includes two tents with a sheltered table area - perfect for families with older kids.

BYO Tent (Site Only): Bring your own gear and set up on the waterfront. This is the most budget-friendly option and great for families who already have their camping kit sorted.

Basic Camping Package: Don't own a tent? No problem. This option comes with a pre-erected tent so you can travel light and focus on the fun.

Deluxe Two-Bedroom Waterfront Package: The pick for families who want a little more room to move. Two tents plus a sheltered table area make this a comfortable base for a longer stay.

For full details on inclusions, maximum occupancy and current pricing, head to Cockatoo Island.

Campground Facilities: Better Than You'd Think

This isn't roughing it. Campers have access to a well-equipped communal kitchen with sheltered facilities, including 10 barbecues, boiling water, two fridges, microwaves, a vending machine and seating for 50 people. Hot showers and toilets are also available.

The Campfire Experience

There's a campground fire pit located towards the slipways (weather dependent) where families can gather after dark to toast marshmallows and swap stories under the stars. It's the kind of simple, old-fashioned fun that kids remember for years.

Campground Cinema

Yes, there's even a campground cinema! Located in the convict precinct on the upper island, movies screen at a designated time every night for campers of all ages. Pack the blankets and settle in for a film with one of the best settings in Sydney.

Food and Drink: Your Options

Campers can bring their own food to store and prepare in the campground kitchen, and BBQ packs are available to pre-purchase from Cockatoo Overboard, a convenient café located near the Visitor Centre on the Eastern Apron. Marina Café & Bar, set in the historic Docks Precinct,  is also worth a visit.

Prefer to travel light on groceries? Between the two on-site food options and the fully equipped kitchen, you can absolutely get by without hauling a full esky onto the ferry.

Explore all your Eat and Drink options.

Activities: The Island Is Your Playground

Sleeping aside, the campground is an action-packed base camp for exploring one of Sydney's most historically rich destinations. Here's what's on offer for families:

Curious Tales Family Tour: An after-hours guided tour that takes families through the island's weirder, funnier history. Running Saturday evenings from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, tickets start from $20. Online bookings are essential.

Our Day at Cockatoo Island: A self-guided booklet tour designed for kids aged 6 to 10, available for $5 from the Visitor & Accommodation Centre (open 10 am to 4 pm). Guided by pink cockatoo signs and ground stickers, young adventurers visit 8 activity stops across the island, meeting a whale named Burriburri, playing convict games and learning to communicate like a sailor along the way.

Audio Tours: Once the kids have settled in for the evening, mum or dad can explore the island's layered history with one of three immersive audio tours. Each runs for 45 minutes to an hour and costs $10 per person. Self-guided and mobile-based (BYO device), the jump-on points are displayed on signs around the island, including at the Visitor & Accommodation Centre.

Free Activities: Monthly steam crane demonstrations run on the first Tuesday of every month, a genuine highlight for machine-obsessed kids. Campers also get exclusive access to vintage lawn games and giant chess. Basketball hoops are available on the Eastern Apron, the Turbine Shop is a fantastic place to scooter around, and the Eastern Apron is ideal for kite flying.

For a full rundown of activities, visit Cockatoo Island.

Getting There is Half the Fun

Getting to Cockatoo Island is easier than you think! Simply hop on a public ferry from Circular Quay, Barangaroo or along the Parramatta River.

For the quickest route, take the F3 ferry from Barangaroo, and you'll be on the island in under 10 minutes.

Ferries run daily, and the journey itself is part of the experience, with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House along the way. 

Plan your trip to Cockatoo Island.

Cockatoo Island Camping: The Fast Facts

Cockatoo Island is the only island on Sydney Harbour where families can camp overnight. The waterfront campground offers BYO tent sites, basic pre-erected tent packages, and deluxe two-bedroom packages. All campers have access to hot showers, toilets and a communal kitchen equipped with 10 barbecues, fridges, microwaves and seating for 50. Additional facilities include a campfire pit (weather dependent), a nightly campground cinema in the convict precinct, and exclusive access to vintage lawn games and giant chess.

On-site dining is available at Cockatoo Overboard and Marina Café & Bar, and campers can bring and store their own food in the campground kitchen. 

General entry to the island is free, and affordable camping packages are available separately.

Cockatoo Island Camping FAQs

Can families camp on Cockatoo Island? Yes. Cockatoo Island has a waterfront campground open year-round with options for all family sizes and budgets.

What facilities are available to campers on Cockatoo Island? Campers have access to hot showers, toilets, and a fully equipped communal kitchen with 10 barbecues, boiling water, two fridges, microwaves and seating for 50 people. A campfire pit (weather dependent) and a nightly campground cinema are also available exclusively to campers, along with vintage lawn games and giant chess.

Is there food available on Cockatoo Island for campers? Yes. Cockatoo Overboard (near the Visitor Centre) and Marina Café & Bar (in the Docks Precinct) are both on-site. Campers can also bring their own food to store and prepare in the campground kitchen, and BBQ packs are available to pre-purchase from Cockatoo Overboard.

How do you get to Cockatoo Island to camp? By public ferry. Services run daily from Circular Quay (approx. 25 minutes) and Barangaroo (under 10 minutes via the F3 ferry). No car access is available; the ferry is the only way to reach the island.

What activities are available for families staying overnight on Cockatoo Island? Campers can join the Curious Tales Family Tour (from $20, Saturdays), pick up the Our Day at Cockatoo Island self-guided tour booklet ($5, ages 6 - 10), watch monthly steam crane demonstrations, access vintage lawn games and giant chess exclusively as campers, fly kites on the Eastern Apron, scoot through the Turbine Shop, and watch free nightly movies at the campground cinema.

Is Cockatoo Island camping suitable for young children and toddlers? Yes. The island's flat open spaces, green lawns and free-roaming environment suit young kids well. The campground cinema, fire pit and lawn games are all appropriate for younger children, and the self-guided family tour is designed for ages 6 to 10.

Ready to secure your spot on Sydney Harbour? Plan your family camping stay at Cockatoo Island.

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