Lost on Cockatoo Island

Me & Shaz at London Tube Map Party

Picture on the Facebook Invite. Classic.

My former manager and good friend Sharon and I share an October birthday and so we decided to have a joint party the weekend between our birthdays October 4 and 10. We put the word out via Facebook inviting everyone we knew to an undetermined location. Lucky for me, I was unemployed and waiting for my visa, so I could do some venue research. We took to the entertainment guidebook Time Out Sydney and chose Island Bar, a new outdoor pop up bar on Cockatoo Island, a short 15 minute ferry a little past the Harbour Bridge from Circular Quay.

We had about 40 confirmations despite a TBD location. Once we posted the venue, people were psyched until the day of the party. The weather was predicted to be cloudy with rain. Plus, many of our guests including my boyfriend were desperate to watch the Rugby World Cup semi-finals. Yawn. How would we get people to go out in dreary weather and perhaps be left to watching the game in the rain? I put up a ‘In case it rains’ message.

We woke up to grey skies on that Saturday. Resilient Sharon was optimistic and determined. Her infection attitude persuaded me to go with the plan and I put up a ‘Rain or shine’ message stating we were still going to be outdoors at Cockatoo Island.

We met up at 1pm at Circular Quay and took the ferry over. Unplanned, we were both wearing bright orange. She was carrying our boxes of mini-cupcakes with American/British themed red, white and blue stars and icing. I spent the next 15 minutes putting makeup on with unsteady hands due to the waves while Sharon caught me up on life. After all, she was still working at my previous workplace and I had to hear how it was going.

Boat Ride to Cockatoo Island with 50 Mini Cupcakes

Me, Dave & Jon

Birthday Girls at Cockatoo Island

We disembarked on Cockatoo Island and walked the 200 meters to Island Bar. We arrived to a carpet of astro turf, lawn chairs, swing chairs, palm trees and large screens for the rugby crowd. The bar would not let us bring in our birthday cupcakes, but held them in the kitchen. Feeling bad for taking them away, they gave us birthday girls a pitcher of some 'tropical' orange drink. I don’t know what alcohol was in it, but it was like artwork with hanging mint and slices of cantaloupe (or rock melon in Aussie speak). We were all settled in with drink in hand by 2pm, a full hour after we had scheduled the party. Anxiously waiting, Sharon and I hoped people weren't swayed by the weather. Were people going to come?

A Perfect Island Pitcher for Our Birthdays at Island Bar

For the next hour, groups of friends began trickling in. Sharon and I had a vantage point where we could see who was approaching the pop-up bar. Our party turned out to be a success. Sharon’s British friends, my hodge-podge group of expat friends and our colleagues turned up for a great afternoon of catching up. It began to rain in the middle of the 4pm Wales v Ireland game, but no one budged. Everyone was drinking happily under large tents, watching the game.

Catching Up With the Taurus Crew

Haven't Seen Them Since I Left

Photoshoot Under the Umbrellas

From L-R: Helen, Sam, Lauren, Byron, Jenny

Were They Here For Our Birthdays or the Game?

Staying Dry While Watching Ireland v Wales

Lovely Sam. Doesn't She Look Like Samantha Jones?

October Babies

Sophie Loves MAC Makeup Just Like Me

Ready For a Pose Anytime Rain or Shine

Convincing Jon and Sam That Teeth Whitening Should be on the National Agenda

Dave had been feeding us glasses of wine and by 6pm we were done. The entire party had also decided to shift because the second and more important France v England game was about to start and they didn't love us enough to stay out in the rain. Instead, we took the Ferry to Darling Harbour to King Street Wharf. Somehow somebody remembered the 50 cupcakes and it was a cupcake fest on the ferry ride over.

Back on the Ferry for Cupcakes

Yum! American/British Themed Mini Cupcakes

We poured out of the ferry and into the pub. Party factions separated off into rugby diehards, hungry girls, the Americans and Dave. Our American friends Ben and Blake had another birthday engagement, which was luckily at the same bar. Dave sat with our friends Daniel and Lacey near the piano because he wanted to play. I went prancing around from group to group. I came back and Dave's party was over. We gave him water and kept the party going anyways. We stayed until the end of the game.

Tallest Guy at the Bar

What a Friendly Giant

Daniel, Dave, Lacey, Giant and Lauren

We moved on to Kings Cross with many sad English faces because France was heading into the Rugby World Cup Final against New Zealand. Everyone headed to Kit & Kiboodle, a club which Lacey and I could not get into because we were wearing sandals. No tears on my part because I can't stand Kings Cross clubs anyways and I will not submit to a Kings Cross club, which caters to high schoolers. After sharing a lamb pide, Dave and I took Daniel and Lacey to our ol' faithful Dragon Lounge.


When we first came to Sydney, the FIFA World Cup was in full swing. We lived on the outskirts of Kings Cross in Darlinghurst. With no TV or internet, we were desperate to watch the game anywhere. We found Dragon Lounge, a dirty old man bar that actually transformed into a decent bar at night. The bar had a huge screen in the back and sold $4 mix drinks. From then on, Dragon Lounge became our 'local'. Although we hardly go there now, we still have fond memories of it and always defend it for its charm. As suspected, Dragon Lounge did let us in and still sold $4 mix drinks. We sat down to have one last drink together and reminisced about good times. By 1am, we gave hugs goodbye and were headed home. We had been partying for 12 hours straight!


The next morning, I woke up to the familiar feeling of college yesteryears - straight up hungover. The feeling was well worth it. For a 26th birthday, the party was more than I had hoped for and will definitely cherish it. Next year, I'll be 27 - an age more fun sounding than 26, yet much closer to the dreaded 30. I'll keep my 26 and see you a full year of fun and adventure ahead.


*Special thanks to Shaz for the photos. I have lost yet another camera during such a fun event.