Haunted History Tour, Cockatoo Island
A former convict prison, dry dock and industrial work site, as well as a reformatory school for girls, Cockatoo Island is a fascinating place. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, set in Sydney Harbour, where the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers meet. This popular island is easy to get to from Circular Quay, and is popular with day trippers for its history, culture, and the Biennale art installation, held on Cockatoo every two years.
Oh, and it’s also really haunted, if you’re interested in Sydney ghost tours…
Haunted History Tour
Throughout the winter, Cockatoo Island are running a Haunted History tour on Saturday evenings. On a recent Saturday night, I bundled up in my warmest clothes (layers are key), and heading out on the ferry to find some ghosts. Or, at least learn more about the island and its history. Sydney ghost tours can be found in several places across the city, but Cockatoo Island is definitely the most unique.
I can’t believe this was my first time visiting Cockatoo Island, but, better late than never. Note: I will definitely be back to explore more of the island in the daytime, when there are less haunted happenings and more sunshine.
The island has been used by the Indigenous people of the region for thousands of years, possibly as a place for fishing, until it became the site of a prison as part of the newly established Australian colony of Sydney in 1839. As you probably know, Sydney itself was a penal colony, so this became a secondary prison. Prisoners were sentenced to hard labour here, carving out of sandstone the structures still in place on the island today.
As mentioned, the island later became a reformatory school, and a dry dock and machinery and construction area, in a time before health and safety really existed. As you can imagine, the above institutions were not always pleasant places, and one can only imagine the misfortunes and tragic events that could have happened here in years past.
Well, imagine no more, because the tour is chock full of history, spooky sightings, and things that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
The tour was led by our knowledgeable and friendly guide Nikki, who had extensive knowledge on the island and its history, and she is very passionate about the subject, making for an excellent tour. The tour itself was heavily researched and based on true historical occurrences in the past, that have been documented, as well as personal narratives, some that Nikki has experienced herself.
Dog Leg Tunnel
The tour begins just outside the island’s Visitor Center, which is basically next to the ferry landing dock. It then meanders around the island, going through the dry docks, shipyards, and turbine room (the site of one of the island’s most gruesome and sad accidents), then continues through the eerie Dog Leg Tunnel, carved out of sandstone, and leads from one side of the island to another.
The tunnel is also the site of several paranormal occurrences, including the apparition of an elevator operator, often seen pressing the button for an elevator that will never come. Our guide also told of of the tale of a woman on a past tour who was seen talking to herself in the tunnel, and then eagerly asked her guide who the nice gentleman was that she was conversing with. After having to tell the woman that no one was actually there, the guest later described the man’s uniform, which turned out to be identical to type of uniform worn by 19th century sea captains. Captains were often on the island, awaiting repairs of their vessel.
(As an aside on the dry docks, mentioned above- after the fall of Singapore in WWII, Cockatoo Island became the largest and most important dry dock in the Australiasian region, and certainly played a vital part in the Allied war efforts. This is really fascinating, and not something I knew before I visited.)
Convict Barracks and Superintendent’s Quarters
After the tunnel, the tour continues up to the convict barracks, notable especially for their inhumane solitary confinement cells. The barracks later housed the girls of the reformatory school, who, by all accounts, were treated terribly by the headmasters and were often abused, tied up, and neglected, so this whole part of the island was a place of great sadness for many years.
From there, we head to the top of the island, home to the Superintendent’s residential home, built for he and his family, and, reportedly, the most haunted point of the island. For years, security guards with dogs have had the dogs stop dead in their tracks and refuse to ascend up to the house. I’ve always thought dogs have a good sense of anything that is unsettling or dangerous. Humans, however, are another story, so we continued up the island’s highest point, oblivious to the warnings heeded by our previous canine visitors.
Is it scary?
Did we see any ghosts? No, I can’t say we did. However, there were 25 of us on the tour, shuffling around the island and making noise. A group of teenagers were also camping overnight on the island, and making about as much noise as you’d imagine teenagers on a camping trip would make. I’m not a ghost expert, but I imagine the above factors would limit one’s paranormal experiences.
However, I am a strong believer in spirits and paranormal activity (such as in Katoomba), and there are definitely weird distributing vibes going on here, especially in the tunnel and on the top of the island. Abandoned industrial buildings, long moonlit shadows, and tragic tales of human suffering, all set on a small and isolated island…
It would be worth going back on your own to explore the island in more detail, as the tour was fairly fast paced, and did fit a lot into an hour and a half. The area has also been visited by Ghost Hunters International, who recorded some activity on the island.
I wouldn’t say it was scary per say, although it’s not something for young children. It does touch on adult themes, such as prison and solitary confinement, punishment, and death.
I’ve tried not to give too much away, but hopefully the above inspires you to check out the island- there are so many more ghost stories, legends, and unsettling experiences to be had on the tour- I would definitely recommend, and, at $25.00 per adult, it’s a great deal for a night out that’s totally out of the ordinary.
Top Tips
- Cockatoo Island is easily accessible via Sydney Ferries, and is about 20-30 minutes from Circular Quay, depending if the ferry you’re on is an express one or not. Here’s how to access the island.
- Haunted History Tours, Cockatoo Island are running every Saturday from June 9th- August 25th. Some dates have already booked out, so book fast if you want to check it out.
- The tours are held rain or shine, unless the ferry services are cancelled. However, 99% of the tour is outside, so be prepared for the elements.
- The island is an old industrial and historical site- it has been well maintained, but there are several areas with uneven steps and walkways, and a few steep up and downs, so watch your step as you walk around and wear sturdy walking shoes.
- You can also camp, glamp, or stay the night in accommodation on the island– if you’re not too scared after the tour, that is.
- Looking for more unusual things to do in Australia?
Have you visited Cockatoo Island? Or, any great ghost stories around Sydney to share? Would love to hear about your Sydney ghost tours and experiences, or other haunted places in Sydney!
Note: I visited Cockatoo Island as a full-paying guest, and all opinions are solely my own.