Cockatoo Island is located at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers, in Sydney Harbour, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and the largest of several islands that were originally heavily timbered sandstone knolls.

It was also the site of one of Australia’s biggest shipyards, operating between 1857 and 1991. The first of its two dry docks were built by convicts. Cockatoo Island contains the nation’s most extensive and varied record of shipbuilding, and has the potential to enhance understanding of maritime and heavy industrial processes in Australia from the mid-19th century.

Hereunder are some rare photos capturing life of the island and its construction from between the 1900s to 1910s.

(Photos from Don Shearman)