After the war the dockyard (now known as Vickers) continued, and submarine facilities were introduced. From 1933 the dockyard was leased from the Australian Government by Cockatoo Docks and Engineering Co Ltd and the island played a very significant role during World War II. The former prison buildings were then used as offices. įollowing Federation, in 1913 Cockatoo became the Commonwealth Dockyard, and the island, both through shipbuilding and servicing, played an important role both in the development of the Royal Australian Navy and during World War I. The New South Wales Public Works Department declared Cockatoo Island the state dockyard. Meanwhile, the dockyard function expanded, and the Sutherland Dock was built in 1890. Following the departure of the females in 1888, prisoners were again sent to the island, and the gaol function continued until about 1909. The dockyard area was now separated from the institutional area on the top of the island by a fence. In 1869 prisoners were transferred from the island to Darlinghurst, and the prison buildings became an industrial school for girls and a reformatory in 1871. Cockatoo became the major government dockyard in Australia. To service Royal Navy ships, Fitzroy Dock was completed in 1857. Quarrying of silos was one of the early convict tasks. The convict precinct was built over a number of years.

History Ĭockatoo Island became a gaol in 1839, following advice from New South Wales Governor George Gipps to the British Secretary of State for the Colonies that convicts would be sent to the island after the closure of the Norfolk Island convict establishment. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

Sutherland Dock is a heritage-listed dockyard at the former Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Cockatoo Island, New South Wales, Australia.

Cockatoo island new south wales