Background of the Opera House

Garden Island in Sydney Harbour is located northeast of Sydney's city center. Originally a small island, it was connected to the Sydney coast during World War II through land reclamation, becoming a peninsula. European colonists renamed the island Garden Island in the first month of their arrival in Australia in 1788 and established a naval base there. To this day, Garden Island remains a base for the Royal Australian Navy, with about half of Australia's warships docked here, making the warships a backdrop to the Sydney Opera House. In addition to underground tunnels and air-raid shelters, the island also houses a naval museum. The museum is open to the public, but visits must be booked in advance.