Cockatoo Island is located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, at the point where the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers meet. It is the largest island in Sydney Harbour and, over the years, has been the home of one of the country's biggest shipyards, an imperial prison, a reformatory and an industrial school.http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/about/index.html 

Cockatoo Island was originally established in 1839 as the site of a new prison establishment, a role it held until the prison closed in 1869. From 1880-1909, the prison buildings were again used to house inmates.http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/about/history/convicts.html In July 2010, the Cockatoo Island prison, along with ten other Australian prison sites, were added to the UNESCO's World Heritage List.http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/about/index.html 

In 1839, Cockatoo Island was selected to be the home of a new prison by New South Wales Governor, Sir George Gipps.http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/about/history/ The establishment of the prison was part of a convict system that extended from Norfolk Island to Fremantle in Western Australia.http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/about/history/convicts.html Prior to that, the land on the island was used by the Aboriginal tribes in the region.http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/about/history/ 

In addition to its convict prison, Cockatoo Island was also home to the country's largest shipbuilding yard until 1992.http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/about/history/  Today, Cockatoo Island is a tourist spot that is managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust.http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/about/harbourtrust.html 

Cockatoo Island is open all 365 days of the year. However, the visitors center is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day. The island is accessible to visitors by ferry, water taxi, or private boats and barges. Although visiting the island is free, there are transportation costs to get to the island.http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/visit/index.html 

Ferries to the island operate daily from Circular Quay via the Parramatta River service and the Balmain/Woolwich service. Sundays are "Family Funday", and all ferries, trains, and Sydney busses charge $2.50 per person and offer unlimited travel access throughout the city.http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/visit/ferries.html