Sarah Island
Home | Strahan, TAS
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services - Craig Vertigan
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services - Craig Vertigan
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services - Craig Vertigan
4 people have added this to their Bucket List
Overview
Highlights
Sarah Island was established in the remote reaches of Macquarie Harbour in 1821. The island was used as a penal settlement where convicts laboured under the harshest conditions in the rainforest, felling Huon pines for boat building. Of all the possible sites to choose, Macquarie Harbour would have been the most windswept and barren but it was also the most secure. Any convict trying to escape Sarah Island had not only to get across the harbour but to hack their way through the impenetrable rainforests of the west coast.
Sarah Island is Tasmania's oldest convict settlement and reputedly one of the severest penal establishments in the history of transportation to Australia. Flogging was frequently used as a punishment and more than 180 escape attempts were made.
Despite its isolation and grim function, Sarah Island was for a time the largest shipbuilding yard in the colonies. Convicts were also put to work in the thriving pining trade.
Towards the end of the 19th century the haunting ruins and natural beauty of Sarah Island became popular with tourists. The island was gazetted as a tourist reserve in 1926 and nearly 50 years later as an historic site. Today it is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and Macquarie Harbour Historic Site.
Visitors can use a map to navigate among the many ruins to locate the 'new' penitentiary, the commandant's slipway, the bakehouse and tannery. The best way to visit the site is on one of the several wilderness cruises operating out of Strahan.
Activities
- Sight-seeing
- Walking
- Photography
- Historical experience
Facilities
- Walking trail
- World Heritage Area
Important Information
Guidelines
- Always do some research before heading out for your journey. Visit the parks website for up to date information on the current conditions.
- Stay safe and get the most out of your park visit by preparing for natural hazards and other outdoor risks. You are responsible for your own safety and the safety of those in your care.
- Care should be taken alighting from the boat transport on to the island jetty and on paths among the ruins. Walking shoes are advisable.
- Strong winds and rain can be expected/extremely common on the west coast so bring wet weather gear.
- Wear suitable footwear and ensure to wear appropriate clothing to protect yourself from the elements.
- Plan ahead and ensure to take enough food and water for your journey.
- Always stay on the marked tracks where possible. Never climb fences, they are there for your own safety.
- Please consider the environment, take your rubbish with you or place in the bins provided. We want to ensure these beautiful places are still here for our future generations to enjoy.
- Ensure to let a responsible adult know of your plans and report back into them once you have finished exploring for the day.
- National park and camping fees apply for Tasmanian National Parks. Check the parks website for bookings and/ or further details.
- Weather conditions in Tasmania can change quickly and frequently, especially in alpine areas. Snow, rain, wind and sun are all possible at any time of the year, and bushfires can occur between October and March.
Photo credits: Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services - Craig Vertigan
Location & Supplier
Sarah Island
Address: Sarah Island, Strahan, Tasmania 7468
4 people have added this to their Bucket List
