Garden Island is a small island in Sydney Harbour that has been used for naval and defence purposes since the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. It is now connected to the mainland by a causeway and is home to the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Base East, where many of the major fleet units are based.
Garden Island has a rich and fascinating history, dating back to its original use as a kitchen garden for the crew of HMS Sirius, the flagship of the First Fleet. The island was also the site of Australia’s first lawn tennis court. The island has several historic buildings and structures, such as the Gun Mounting Workshop, the Boatshed, and the Captain Cook Graving Dock, which is the largest dry dock in the Southern Hemisphere.
Garden Island also has a public access area, where visitors can explore the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre, a museum that showcases the naval history and heritage of Australia. The museum displays various artefacts, models, weapons, uniforms, and memorabilia from the past and present of the Navy. The public access area also features a heritage rose garden, a 150-year-old fig tree, and a sandstone rock with the initials of three First Fleeters carved into it, believed to be the oldest colonial graffiti in Australia.
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Photographed on location by Mike Fernandes