A day trip to Dangar Island

It was by accident that I discovered Dangar Island. I was new to Sydney and I was exploring a few places by attending meetups that were organised by different people. And that is when I stumbled upon Dangar Island. It was a pleasant accidental discovery for sure. I loved visiting the island so much that I went back for the second time.

If you want to find other places around Sydney, refer the section of my blog, One day trips from Sydney.

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Where is Dangar Island?

Dangar Island is a hidden gem in Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney. With just 300 people on the island, this is a great place to spend a day with family and friends. The island is named after Henry Dangar, a surveyor and explorer of Australia in the early period of British colonisation.

It is said that the people of Guringai Aboriginals knew about Dangar Island for thousands of years before the European settlement happened in the year 1788.

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How to get to Dangar Island?

Brooklyn to Dangar Island

Since Dangar Island is an island, the only way to get to the island is by a ferry. The 15 minutes ferry is run by Brooklyn Ferry Service that travel between Brooklyn and Dangar Island. The ferry timings are aligned with the train timings that reach Brooklyn. The cost for one way ticket is AUD 9 per adult, that are purchased on board the ferry.

• The ferry does NOT accept Opal transportation cards.
• Best is to carry some cash.

Sydney Central Business District (CBD) to Brooklyn

Driving

The distance between Sydney CBD and Booklyn is about 53 kilometres and takes 1 hour 10 minutes to drive. The easiest way to reach Brooklyn is by driving and the route is very straightforward.

• The route has toll roads.
• There are plenty of free car spaces by the Brooklyn Wharf.

Public transportation

Nearest train station is the Hawkesbury River train station. The Central Coast and Newcastle train line travels between Sydney CBD and Hawkesbury River train stations. The train journey takes around 1 hour and the train fare can be paid using the Opal transportation or Credit/Debit cards.

• More information on the trains can be found on the Transport for New South Wales (NSW) website.

Things to do on Dangar Island

Just to note that the Dangar Island was not built for tourists and it does not expect many tourists around the year. So, there are not many things to do on the island and it does not have a lot of facilities required for a tourist destination. However, it is a nice island to spend a day over the weekend.

Note: Dangar Island is a dog friendly island. So, you can definitely take your buddy along with you when you visit the Dangar Island.

• The island has public toilet facilities near the parks.
• It also has drinking water stations to fill waterbottles.
• There is also one cafe on the island where you can sit and enjoy a coffee by the waters.
• Unfortunately, there are no restaurants or hotels on the island.

Walk around the island

The walk around the island is surely a great way to spend a day and explore the Dangar Island. It is just around 4.3 kilometres and takes only an hour or so to walk around the island. The views from the island are spectacular.

Enjoy a picnic by the beach

Another awesome way to experience and have fun on the island is to take a packed picnic from Brooklyn and spend a day by the beach, especially on a nice warm day. The views, the spectacular weather and lazing by the beach are the perfect combination.

One can also swim at the Bradleys beach.

Jacarandas

One of the places to find the beautiful Jacarandas in and around Sydney is on the Dangar Island. The island turns purple during the spring season (end of October till December) and is a great place to take pretty pictures.

Read places to find Jacarandas in Sydney for other places where one can view the Jacarandas.

Wildlife

The island has many birds and local wildlife. Its a notable place for wildlife photographers to take pictures of the native wildlife. I believe the island also has a few snakes but I never spotted any snake when I visited the island.

Do you think I missed any thing that can be done on the island? Let me know in the comments below.

Safety for solo female travelers

The simple answer is YES! Dangar Island is absolutely safe for solo female travelers. I have been to the island twice and I did not have any issues whatsoever. I in fact had a wonderful time. However, be a bit careful of the wildlife at nights and like any other place in the World, know your surroundings and be cautious at all times.

Closing Notes

I loved visiting Dangar Island both the times. I had a lovely time relaxing by the beach and sun bathing the whole day. As it is so close to Sydney, the Dangar Island surely makes an accessible and awesome place to spend a day over the weekend.

If you loved reading about Dangar Island, then you will also love the 4 islands in the Sydney Harbour that visitors can visit. Read my post on those 4 islands that one can visit in the Sydney Harbour.

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