On the website for the Sydney Harbour Trust Federation the Trust describes the site as having "rich layers of evidence", however this impression of the complex and disjointed industrial landscape has not always been so positive received. At the time of the dock's closure in 1992, a large number of government and commercial assets were sold off, buildings demolished and the docks drowned. Concerned that the heritage of the island may be forgotten in this rapid effort to clear the landscape, the Friends of Cockatoo Island was formed. The group advocated for the site to be retained by the state and protected for the enjoyment of future generations.
Hosted events on the island, in particular the Biennalle of Sydney, single out the island for its rich, incoherent, disorderly aesthetic that serves as an ideal backdrop to the innovative art installations on show. How differently attitudes were towards the site a century ago.
In 1887 a Committee of Enquiry made the following assessment;
As an instance of the persistence of the evil- i.e., lack of concerted action and of a recognised head- one has only to visit the dock and note its untidy and slovenly appearance, a discredit to overyone concerned. Old boilers, heaps of scrap, tons of ashes, and rubbish lying about in confusion beyond description, meet the eye in every direction; and when an effort is made to find out upon whom the responsibility for all this rests, great ingenuity is displayed in passing it on from shoulder to shoulder, until all sense of it lost.
Conservation Issues, and what is being done by the SHFT
Atmospheric Exposure
The Problem: Much of the industrial fabric is vulnerable to corrosion due to its close proximity to Sydney Harbour. This corrosion will not only undermine the character of the fabric, but may pose a safety risk in the future if structures such as the cranes become compromised. The exposure to atmosphere is also a problem for the convict-era buildings constructed of local stone.
What is being done about the issue: The large cranes located across the island display extensive corrosion due this atmospheric exposure. Volunteers from the SHFT are carrying out restoration work to halt the speed of corrosion and reverse past damage, however the number of cranes reveals how this process will be quite extensive. In the guardhouse, hooks used to hang rifles are exposed to the salty breeze, and therefore are painted regularly to extend their life. In many ways it can be argued that the corrosion enhances the industrial, battered aesthetic of the site.
Funding
The Problem: While the site is managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust the funding provided for site maintenance is very limited.
What is being done about the issue: The site managers rely on alternative sources of funding through the campground, the hosting of entertainment events [music and art], audio guides, a cafe and public donations. The restoration of numerous buildings across the island for domestic and commercial use offers opportunity for large inflows of revenue. The goal is to have the island being self-funded based on the leasing costs of these buildings. However the policy of adaptive reuse poses further risk to the site fabric due to the threat of overuse, foot traffic and the desires of visitors for participatory experiences. The promotion of environmentally aware practices [which leave a minimal trace of impact on the site] offers some opportunity in this regard.
Theft of Moveable Heritage
The Problem: There is a considerable volulme of moveable heritage that has been exposed over time due to rain. Some items that are frequently spotted are sherds from plates and small, metal pieces. These artifacts should ideally be left in-situ to enable future archaeological interpretation and also to retain the character of the site.
Tangibility of the site's multifaceted history
The Problem: The continual use of the island from its suspected Aboriginal past to the present day proffers difficulties in the meaningful representation of the totality of the history. Many layers of the complex narrative have been lost to subsequent use [for instance the women's industrial college which was later used for industrial purposes or the elusive evidence of Aboriginal use].
What is being done about the issue: The provision of signage, audio tours and further historical detail in the guide office [visitor guide and audio-visual presentations] offer some avenues to explain the complex history of the island. For enthusiasts, a number of books are also available for purchase in the front office, which may be read on site for free. Recent occupation of the site by Aboriginal protestors [the creation of an Aboriginal Tent Embassy] has left visible marks on the island [the painting of various objects with the colours of the aboriginal flag and a mural on the Timber Drying Shed] [Golden Mackay Logan, 2007:84].
