Neotsfield Avenue, Sydney's most northerly street

Stone water tower, once part of the Dangar family estate on the island

A unique island paradise on the Hawkesbury River near Brooklyn to the north of Sydney, Dangar Island is surrounded by sparkling water and views in all directions. With no private cars to disturb the 'sounds of silence', Dangar Island is a haven of peace and tranquillity and an ideal place for a holiday, a weekend away or even a day trip from Sydney.

Day trips to Dangar Island are definitely an option, and these begin with a journey on the Central Coast train from Sydney to Hawkesbury River station at Brooklyn. A short walk from the station is the jetty from which the Dangar Island ferry leaves. The ferry trip is a leisurely 15 minutes, calling at Little Wobby Beach on the way, and departs hourly 7 days a week. Two to three hours is adequate time to walk right around the island along the bushland path that circles Dangar, and would include a visit to one of its beaches, seeing the Aboriginal cave and rock art at the island's highest point, and enjoying refreshments at the cafe before catching the ferry back to Brooklyn. Thus it is possible to leave Sydney by train before 10 am and be back in Sydney well before dark.

About Dangar Island: Life on Dangar Island is so different to that in Sydney, you'd never believe you were just an hour away by train from the big city. For starters, the wheelbarrow is the main method used to haul goods from the ferry which services the island throughout the day from the town of Brooklyn. The only mode of public transport, apart from walking, is the push bike, unless you own one of just a handful of golf buggies that escaped the ban on powered transport. The island has only one shop/café, and a bowling club for members/visitors which has a bar. A community hall supports several community groups, including a children's film workshop.
Until recently, Dangar's flavour was that of an artists' colony. In recent years, however, the accessibility and charm of the location have meant an explosion in house prices to the point that only the wealthy can now consider purchasing homes there, which many now do as weekend retreats.
The island has a permanent population of about 250, which swells dramatically during holiday seasons. Two and three bedroom homes are the most common form of short term accommodation, making the island an ideal weekend retreat either for couples and families.
The homes of Dangar Island are the most northerly in Metropolitan Sydney, the island's shop/cafe is the city's most northerly commercial building. The most northerly street on Dangar Island, and hence Sydney's most northerly street, is Neotsfield Avenue, which leads from the public wharf through the main settlement. Here, golf carts and wheelbarrow line the streets rather than cars.

History of the island: Before white settlement the island was used by the local Dharuk people as a place for fishing, relaxation and ceremonial purposes. Evidence of their visits can be seen in rock carvings in the middle of the island, and middens around its shoreline. Within six weeks of British settlement of Sydney Cove, Governor Arthur Phillip sailed up the Hawkesbury looking for arable land and set up camp here. On 7 March 1788 he named it Mullet Island. First Fleet cartographer Lieut. William Bradley, who accompanied Phillip on the flagship of the First Fleet, HMS Sirius, in 1787-88, was among the party and recorded the visit in his journal. His name is remembered in the name Bradley's Beach.
The island was acquired by Henry Dangar in 1864 as a country estate and following his death in 1917 was subdivided into residential allotments and named Dangar Island. In the 1880s, it was the base for the building of the Brooklyn railway bridge nearby. Construction workers lived in huts on the island.

Facilities: general store and cafe, community hall, bowling club and children's playground, sandy area with public access at Bradleys Beach.
UBD Map 56 Ref N 7

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