A Garden Island tour

Join a guide from the Naval Historical Society of Australia for a walking tour of Garden Island.

When: Thursday 27 March, 9.45 am

Where: Meet at the security gate at the end of Cowper Wharf Road.

Cost: Naval Historical Society of Australia fee is $30 per person.

Booking: Email marrickvilleheritagesociety@outlook.com

Note: Booking essential as numbers are limited. Please advise if you need to cancel.

Getting there: 311 bus from Central (stand C, Eddy Avenue); 10-15 minute walk from Kings Cross railway station; Walk from Domain Car Park.

In 1788 the Captain of HMS Sirius ordered his men to plant onions and corn on an island to feed his crew.  The men planted the garden and carved their initials and the year into nearby rocks. 

Today Garden Island is 5 times the original size and has been joined to the mainland by a dry dock, the 2^nd biggest engineering feat in Australia.  It was attacked by Japanese mini submarines in 1942 and has historic buildings dating to the late 1800’s, historic trees and probably the earliest tennis courts in Australia.  It is a working naval base and is full of interesting relics.

The group will be shown a 15 minute video of early Garden Island and then the walking tour will commence, ending around 12:30pm.

Garden Island has not generally been open to the public since Covid, so this is a very rare opportunity to see this important historical and military site.