Berry Island Reserve and the Gadyan Track

Berry Island Reserve in Wollstonecraft offers a green recreational space featuring a short bushwalking track, picnic areas, a fenced playground, and scenic views of Sydney Harbour.

The bushwalk, known as the Gadyan Track, is an excellent way to take in the natural beauty and tranquillity of this unique location, situated just a stone’s throw from the city.

Read on to discover the history of Berry Island, the best ways to get there, and where to park.

Berry Island Reserve is very easy to travel to, by car as well as by public transport.

The reserve sits at the end of Shirley Road in Wollstonecraft. Free street parking is available along this road, or a short distance away if needed.

Wollstonecraft train station is located approximately 0.5 km north of the reserve. You can catch a train from Wynyard in the city directly to Wollstonecraft station, then walk along Shirley Road to Berry Island Reserve.

Although now a peninsula, Berry Island was originally one of Sydney Harbour’s islands. It became connected to the Wollstonecraft mainland by a man-made grassy area.

In the early 19th century, Berry Island was part of a large land grant from Governor Macquarie to Alexander Berry and Edward Wollstonecraft, who formed an Australian business partnership.

In 1926, Berry Island, along with Balls Head Reserve, was dedicated as a nature reserve for public recreation.

Initially linked to the mainland by a small stone causeway over mudflats, the area was transformed in the 1960s into a large grassed space using relocated soil and other materials.

Today, Berry Island Reserve is a popular recreational spot, offering BBQ facilities, picnic areas, a fenced playground, a wide grassy expanse, a short circular walking track, and even a small beach.

Dogs are welcome in the reserve but must remain on a leash.

The Gadyan Track

The Gadyan Track is a short yet fascinating 750-metre circular walk that loops around Berry Island.

The walk begins at a prominent signpost and information board, offering insights into the track, the island, and its significance to Aboriginal people.

Berry Island, like other locations along the Harbour shoreline, held great significance for Aboriginal people due to its abundance of fish and shellfish.

Additionally, the various sandstone overhangs provided vital shelter from the cold and much-needed shade from the hot sun.

‘Gadyan’ is a local Aboriginal (Cammeraygal) word for the Sydney cockle, a type of shellfish commonly found in and around the island.

The short walking track takes visitors past several rock engravings and shell middens, including one of the largest engravings ever discovered in Sydney.

At the start of the walk, one of the first sights you’ll notice is the large oil tanks across the bay in Greenwich.

Currently operated by Viva Energy, the Gore Bay Terminal has served as a vital fuel import and storage facility since 1901.

While the tanks may be somewhat of an eyesore, the terminal remains an essential part of the fuel supply chain in New South Wales, providing fuel to Sydney’s cruise and maritime industries.

Aboriginal Engraving Site

One of the highlights of the walking trail is a large Aboriginal engraving site on a flat rocky surface area.

This well-preserved engraving depicts a 10-metre-long creature, with a boomerang shape near its tail and a large circle at its centre.

Beside the engraving, you’ll find a small but deep rock pool along with two shallow grooves.

According to the information board, it is believed that this pool once served as a freshwater storage source, while the grooves resulted from grinding and sharpening the edges of stone axes.

A short side track takes you to a small wooden lookout point at the southern tip of the Berry Island peninsula.

This charming, low-key lookout offers scenic views of Greenwich to the west, Waverton and Balls Head Reserve to the east, and Barangaroo Reserve directly to the south.

From the lookout, the trail continues along the island’s shoreline back to the large grassy area at the entrance to the reserve.