Been enjoying the Sydney Biennale and went out to Cockatoo Island in Sydney harbour last week. What a cooooooool place! It's a former shipyard and prison and the Biennale used the island for part of its exhibit. Sure, there was lots of yawn-inducing video art and the usual site-specific-installations made of Bush campaign buttons and monkey feces...but what is REALLY awesome is the island itself. If you like deserted post-industrial spaces like I do, this place is a mecca. Supposedly, they shot part of the X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie here and it sure feels that way.The lower part of the island is the former shipyard, which closed in the late 1980's and all of the old buildings, huge cranes and equipment are still there, in silent and rusting tribute to Sydney's
place in shipbuilding history. The upper part was the old convict prison yard from the 1800's and many of the buildings are still standing. The island is right in the middle of Sydney harbour and commands amazing views of the skyline and Harbour Bridge.One thing I like about Australia is you can wander freely around a place like this without a lot of rent-a-cops, barricades, and the usual nanny-state safeguards that the U.S. would have. Sure, I could have easily gotten tetanus or stepped into a toxic waste sludge pool but -- hey -- that's part of the adventure. (Seriously, it's all cleaned up and quite safe. Though I do wonder why my toes suddenly got all....webby.)
They even have campgrounds out on the island with beautiful, modern BBQ and shower facilities. So the next time you want to go camping in a former prison and industrial shipyard site, you'll know where to go!
