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Dangar Island and Brooklyn Ferry

driftwood on a beach Brooklyn Ferry to Dangar Island

Dangar Island

The first European to visit the area was Governor Arthur Phillip, who explored the lower river by small boat in March 1788 within weeks of the First Fleet’s arrival. He named it Mullet Island, for the abundance of fish in the local Hawkesbury River. The island was purchased in 1864 and renamed by Henry Cary Dangar, the son of Henry Dangar, a surveyor, pastoralist and parliamentarian.

Subdivided into residential plots in the 1920s while it still retains some areas for recreational use. Around 330 permanent residents call the island home.

Getting There

Dangar Island can only be accessed by water, either by ferry, private boat or water taxi. We used the ferry, which operates seven days per week. The ferry “Sun” is itself a historic boat, making the trip that little bit more interesting.

The ferry leaves from Brooklyn north of Sydney, where parking is available near the wharf. The Brooklyn train station is only a short walk from the wharf, making this a great option if you don’t want to drive. The ferry arrival and departure times coincide with the train’s timetable.

On the Island

The only vehicles on the island are the fire truck and council ute, with all other vehicles banned. Residents use wheel barrows to haul items from the wharf to their homes. As you leave the ferry, you will see a line up of wheel barrows on the side of the path. On the opposite side is a metal sculpture of a Stegosaurus.

Our first stop was the coffee shop next to the wharf. This also serves as the island’s only shop, because of the small population. Sitting outside was very relaxing, and a great way to start our visit before setting off to explore.

Walking Around

With only around 3km of roads, walking around the island does not take too long. You can download a map, to show various things to see on the island. However, we spent a lot of time at the beach, which had driftwood from recent storms washed up. Also near the beach the rocks are covered in oysters, although most have been removed by fishermen.

One small relic here dates from the Second World War when the Australian Army garrisoned the island and manned a cable boom across the river to protect the railway bridge. A small section of rusted steel embedded in the rocks is all that remains.

We visited at low tide and much of the beach was exposed. The exposed sand was covered in small mounds of sand from crabs that had burrowed down until the tide returned. From the amount of burrows, there must be a huge crab population here.

From the upper road, you get great views of the Hawkesbury and the railway bridge. A rock shelter previously used the local Guringai people before European settlement sits just off the upper road.

Returning to Brooklyn

After around three hours, we returned to the wharf where we had a cold drink while we waited for the ferry. Make sure you don’t miss the last ferry, or you will need to call the water taxi, which is much more expensive.

This was a fun relaxing morning out to somewhere that’s a little different. The locals and the atmosphere of the island is great and we had a great time, well worth a visit.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Mount Penang Gardens

Bromeliads Mount Penang Gardens

Mount Penang Gardens

Located near Gosford on the New South Wales Central Coast, Mount Penang Gardens covers eight hectares of beautifully landscaped gardens. With twelve distinct garden rooms, the displays range from drought tolerant Australian natives to water lilies in the cascading wetlands area.

Parking is available adjacent to the gardens and is currently being expanded, along with improved road access to the area. Entry is free, but dogs are not permitted.

Entrance and Aquatic Garden

Entrance is via the Waterfall Café which overlooks a large pond. This is an excellent place to start your visit or relax after having explored the gardens. From the café, a bridge crosses the pond into the gardens.

Wildlife

On entering, an information board shows the species of birds you might be lucky enough to see. During our visit though, we only saw a few wood ducks. Also, scattered throughout the gardens are some interesting insect hotels. These are designed to attract insects and provide shelter for them.

The Gardens

Well maintained paths wind through the gardens taking you from one setting to another. The sloping terrain allows walled “rooms” to enclose area creating a micro-climate suitable for humidity-loving plants. The bromeliads and ferns growing in one of these rooms were impressive.

We loved the bottle tree grove at the top of the hill because they are such unusual trees. It was great to see them growing here on the Central coast.

Sculpture Garden

Created in 1987 by a group of international sculptors at waterside Wondabyne, these massive artworks carved from Gosford sandstone. Gifted to the people of Australia as a bi-centennial gift in 1988 to as a bicentennial they are as varied in style as the artists who made them.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Big Picture Festival 2022

by Goya Torres

Big Picture Festival 2022

The Big Picture Festival 2022 in Newcastle New South Wales added ten beautiful murals to the city’s streetscapes. Sponsored by the Newcastle City Council, the event continues to add to an already impressive collection of street art.

The council produced a downloadable PDF with the location of the latest additions which also includes last years murals in case you missed them (see our post here).

We parked near Civic Park on King Street and then walked a roughly circular route taking in all of the new works. With stops along the way and a break for coffee, it took around one and a half hours to walk. If you wanted to see the older works it would probably take over two hours.

This was a fun and easy walk and a great way to see the centre of Newcastle and it’s buildings.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

Our photos are available for purchase on