Address & Contact
West Coast
TAS
Phone: 03) 6288 1149
Email: N/A
Web: https://greataustraliansecret.com/tasmania/west-coast-tasmania/sarah-island
Situated in
Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania's west coast, Sarah Island is probably the most infamous of all of the Australian penal colonies. It was established to harvest local Huon pine, one of the best known ship building timbers because of its resistance to both rot and marine borers that attack most other timbers.
Difficulty in transporting the pine logs out of
Macquarie Harbour through the notorious heads known as Hells
Gate, lead to the establishment of a ship building facility at Sarah Island.
The remains of ship construction slipways and other
ruins, including original buildings, have been preserved. Access has been facilitated by the construction of paths and walkways and the construction of a wharf and mooring facility for tourist boats operating from
Strahan Harbour, part of
Macquarie Harbour.
Macquarie Harbour cruises from
Strahan visit the island. Historians are on hand to lead tourists through the
ruins and tell their story.