Overview
What's better than watching the New Year's Eve fireworks than Sydney Harbour's Cockatoo Island? Waking up to the same incredible harbour views on January 1. It sounds a bit wild, but it could be your reality, as Cockatoo Island prepares to open up its annual New Year's Eve program to punters.
Yes, we know NYE is still months away, but the we're bringing it up now because the ballot for accommodation on the island has just opened. If you want to stay in the island's super exclusive accommodation as the decade ticks over, you'll need to enter — there are only a few houses up for grabs.
There are an assortment of premium accommodation options, including two heritage houses and three waterfront apartments. The houses sleep up to 12 guests, while the apartments can fit up to five — and all are decked out with all the luxury trimmings and an outdoor viewing area across the harbour.
You can try your luck at nabbing one by entering your name in the ballot, which runs from now until Sunday, August 25. And you'd best start saving those dollars ASAP – depending how big your crew is, the ballot stays have to be for five nights and range from $800–1750 per person.
The view from one of Cockatoo Island's two heritage houses.
If you miss out, or simply prefer to keep things a little more low-key, Cockatoo Island is also offering up its regular camping and glamping packages for its New Year's festivities. Tickets for deluxe one-night glamping experiences are on sale from Monday, September 2, with prices starting at a more affordable $400 per person. If you want to bring all your own great (including a tent), you can nab a site for around $100–200 per person.
While these might not be quite as fancy as the balloted digs, they do get you front and centre to all of the Island's NYE fun – think, live tunes, guided tours, DJ sets, eats and pop-up bars, teamed with those world-famous firework displays.
Cockatoo Island's New Year's Eve program will take place on December 31, 2019 to welcome in 2020. The ballot for houses and apartments is now open and closes at 11.59pm on Sunday, August 25, while camping tickets will go on sale here at 9am on Monday, September 2.