ABANDONED NAVAL SHIPYARD: COCKATOO ISLAND PICTURES
My Cockatoo Island Music Playlist
|
a
|
MY VIDEO LOGS & JOURNAL
|
Approaching Cockatoo Island from the ferry reminded me of the movie Shutter Island. Even though the cityscape was right at my back the place just had a distinct feel to it. Indeed, it was one of Great Britain's favorite penal colonies during the 19th century. I could easily image a few guards waiting on the dock.
For the majority of the Island's history, it was a naval shipyard and was officially decommissioned out of service in 1991. For such a rich historical landmark it surprised me to find that they really haven't done too much with the place. A few information plaques have been put up here and there and a small coffee stand on the dock side but the rest of the Island is truly abandoned. I couldn't decide if it was eerie or peaceful, maybe a bit of both. There was really nobody around except a ton of seagulls yammering impatiently above my head. The tunnel was like most tunnels, cold and wet. It was short, only about 200 meters. After we got through we came to a bunch of tents. I had heard about these being rented if you wanted to spend a night on the island. It would surely make a great haunted walk. If your a fan of zombies, (thezombiesarehere.org) this is the perfect setting. I could imagine hordes of them running around here. And if there's no zombies, no problem, it would make a phenomenal paintball location. Just spit balling here people, no pun intended.
For one reason or another I don't think these tents were available for use at the time. I didn't see a single person anywhere around them. It was just a graveyard of emplaced tents. By the looks of them, they had been sitting for a while. Almost like a medieval tent city of the past after the Soldiers left never to return from battle. Cockatoo Island is right in the middle of the Sydney waterway, just west of The Rocks, as seen below.
|
Atop a steep jungle of metal stairway was the old administrators quarters and convict precinct. This video was taken just as we reached the top. The place is apparently a historical house that you can rent it out for special occasions. I wouldn't.
Next, we came to what seemed to be a open white stone clearing, seemed like a formation area. I took a short video walking into the courtyard and coming out on the other side. I really enjoyed what was a deserted area in the center of a city. Hopefully in the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust will decide to do something more useful with the place in the future. The building interiors appeared to have had the floors restored.
I love historical landmarks so I could have spent hours here. Sierra was about to fall over and the jet lag was biting at my heels as well. On the way out there was a party going on in the open field by the dock, the only part of the island with a lot of people. It was pretty comical as it was a private party. Whoever put it on had workers with a guest list and a bouncer at the entrance. The whole party was completely in the open with a tiny little fence around it. It was just silly looking. We sat across the field at the coffee stand and listened to their music until the ferry came.
Then there were the seagulls, talk about birds. If you thought they were loud in the air, wait until those little bastards land on the ground. Apparently we got to witness a turf war between the pigeons and the seagulls. I was laying down on a bench when a seagull almost landed on my head. After I sat up it landed again, right in front of me, like a dinner plate. I wanted to smash the shit out of it to send a message to all it's little friends but then I noticed its leg. Apparently life is hard being a seagull in Australia. 
|
