About
Sydney Harbour Island Hopping is presented by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
This October, grab your friends and family and be surprised by what’s hiding on Sydney Harbour! For the first time and for one month only, Sydney’s iconic Harbour islands will be open to explore, discover and share, revealing Sydney’s diverse natural and cultural heritage.
You’ll be delighted by new stories about older times. In one magical day you can explore Garden Island, Fort Denison, Clark Island and Shark Island or enjoy a tea dance on Rodd Island or a groovy picnic on Clark Island.
You can choose when you travel and plan your time on the Harbour exactly how you want it to be. It’s all part of Crave Sydney - a major celebration of Sydney’s unmatched way of life, offering 31 days of food, outdoor art and fun.
About the Islands
Just off Darling Point, Clark Island is named after Lieutenant Ralph Clark, a marine on the First Fleet. In 1789, Lt Clark tried to cultivate a vegetable garden on this one hectare island - which blossomed so well much of the produce was stolen! Today the island boasts perfect views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
Lying just off Rose Bay, Shark Island - named for its shape, not its local wildlife! - is a 1.5 hectare piece of paradise in the middle of the busy Harbour. With spectacular views down the harbour to the Bridge and the Opera House, the Island features a small gazebo and large grassy areas and shady trees perfect for picnicking.
Garden Island is rich with maritime history. It’s been home to the Navy in Australia since 1788, with the initials of the first three sailors to set foot on the island still visible on the island today. Victorian buildings, developed in the 1880s, are still used, surrounded by historic gardens, the first lawn tennis courts built in Australia and panoramic views. Please note access to the Heritage Centre usually involves a small charge but its included in your Island Hopper ticket price for this event. For further information visit the Royal Australian Navy Heritage website.
When the First Fleet arrived in 1788, Fort Denison was a steep, rocky island and a popular fishing place for local Aboriginal clans. Its feature is the Martello Tower, completed in 1857 and the only one of its kind in Australia. Today, the Fort still operates as a Harbour Navigation Facility. Unfortunatley the Tower is not open for our tour but guides are available to answer your questions.
Off the edge of Iron Cove near Birkenhead Point, Rodd Island is a tiny half hectare island that features a colonial style hall built in 1889. It’s perfect for family picnics, with palm trees dotting a flat glassy area and summer houses dating back to the 1920s.
Transport information
The best way to get to Circular Quay is by public transport. Visit www.131500.com or call 131500 for public transport information for Sydney’s bus, ferry and train networks. For up to date traffic conditions visit www.rta.nsw.gov.au.
The ferry timetables for the Island Hopping, Tea Dance and Perfect Picnic can be downloaded here. The Island Hopper ferry will depart from Wharf 6 of Circular Quay and will stop at specified times on each island. Specific departure and return times to and from Wharf 6 to Rodd Island will coincide with the Tea Dances. During the Perfect Picnic, the ferry shuttle will operate from Wharf 6 Circular Quay every half hour from 11am and the last ferry will depart Clark Island at 5.30pm.
