Sydney's treasured islands

THE jewels in Sydney Harbour's crown are playing host to delighted visitors, Stephen Lacey writes after a jaunt to four of the harbour's five islands.

Rodd Island ... a shady island in Iron Cove, between Drummoyne and Leichhardt, is already a popular wedding venue. Picture: Marianne Lacey

IMAGINE waking up to a Sydney dawn, the sky smeared with pink, and the harbour all around you – a full 360 degrees. Until now, the only way that could happen was if you were one of the lucky few to own a yacht.

But now, a masterplan is being prepared by the NPWS (National Parks and Wildlife Service) to look at how Goat Island, home to Sydney's most impressive convict-built sandstone structures, could be used for possible tourist accommodation. If the project gets off the ground, the accommodation will have views to rival the best five-star rooms in the city, looking over the Bridge and the Opera House in the east and the Balmain Peninsula to the west.

Goat Island is just one of five islands in Sydney Harbour which are incorporated into the 393ha Sydney Harbour National Park. The protected areas within the Park give the Harbour its special character, and makes it possible to find a secluded place, despite the fact there's a city of four million people over your shoulder.

Suitably inspired, we decided to pay a visit to the rest of the harbour islands:

Shark Island
NAMED for its shape, not because of the toothy things, Shark Island has amazing views right down the harbour. We arrived at the island by kayak, guided by world champion paddler Tommy Woodriff and his partner, Jo Dounias.

Being so obscenely fit, the duo made short work of the 1km trip from Rose Bay, and at times it was a battle to keep up; however, even mere mortals would find the journey relatively easy in good weather.

The island itself is lovely, with a large rotunda and lots of picnic tables beneath the shady hoop pines. It would be a great place to spend Australia Day.

Facilities: Rotunda, picnic tables, drinking water, toilets.

Clark Island
ANOTHER one of those special little spots that make Sydney such a damn fine place to live.

We caught a water-taxi to the island and were enchanted from the moment we stepped ashore.

A cleared grassy area skirts around the perimeter, making it an ideal place for kids to run around. There are also crystal-clear rockpools in which to look for sea critters, and large sandstone overhangs to explore.

A series of bush trails meander up to the top of the island, through native lomandra grass and banksia.

We sat in the shade and watched boats racing across the harbour, their white sails a perfect counterpoint against the soft blue summer sky.

Facilities: Picnic tables, drinking water, toilets.

Fort Denison
ALTHOUGH it started out as a prison for the worst convicts in the colony, nowadays Fort Denison is a popular spot to visit for a weekend brunch and guided tour.

Visitors assemble at Cadman's Cottage at The Rocks, on the eastern shore of Circular Quay, and are whisked away to the fort by ferry.

We enjoyed a traditional hot breakfast, before a ranger took us through the interpretive centre, and into the round Martello tower. The kids seem to love seeing the huge ancient cannon, while the adults appreciate the million-dollar views from the tower's summit.

All in all, a pretty good way to start the day.

Facilities: Restaurant, interpretive centre, drinking water, toilets.

Rodd Island
WHAT this 0.6ha island lacks in space, it more than makes up for in character.

Rodd Island, in Iron Cove between Drummoyne and Leichhardt, features a couple of charming little red-roofed picnic pavilions built in the 1920s.

The island is very shady, with lots of palms and Moreton Bay fig trees growing in among the sandstone. We reckon it would be a perfect venue for holding an elegant gin-and-tonic fuelled lunch party. It's already a popular island for weddings.

Facilities: Power, picnic pavilions, drinking water, toilets.

Cockatoo Island
LARGEST of Sydney's harbour islands (17.9ha) and with a convict and industrial heritage stretching back 170 years, Cockatoo Island is a fascinating place.

Some very interesting things are planned for Cockatoo. Later in the year, a permanent campsite with showers and toilets will be opening on the northern side of the island.

There are also moves to bring boat-building back, albeit on a smaller scale than the 1920s, when about 4000 people were employed here.

Plus, the Federation style houses on the top of the island could eventually become very swanky bed and breakfast accommodation. Sweet.

Facilities: Water, toilets.

Garden Island
OK, so it hasn't been a real island since 1946, when it was joined to the mainland at Potts Point, but Garden Island is still an interesting place to visit.

We visited the new Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre, located in the island's old gun-mounting workshops.

This $5.25 million redevelopment includes a cafe and an extensive museum with exhibits ranging from the Boxer Rebellion to the Gulf War. The museum collection includes ships' bells, uniforms, models, flags, machine guns and a working submarine periscope through which you can scan the harbour and pretend to blow things up.

Visitors can wander around the wooded northern half of the island and inspect the old signal station, with its spectacular views over Sydney.

Facilities: Cafe, museum, drinking water, toilets.

The Sunday Telegraph