What was Sarah Island in Tasmania?
Sarah Island was a notoriously harsh convict prison in Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania's remote west coast. It operated from 1822 to 1833 for convicts who had reoffended in the colony.
Macquarie Harbour was chosen because its narrow entrance, Hells Gates, and the surrounding wilderness made escape almost impossible. Convicts cut Huon pine in the rainforest and floated it to the island, where they built ships.
Conditions were brutal, with hard labour, floggings, poor food and cold, wet weather. Many convicts tried to escape. Alexander Pearce escaped twice and confessed to eating his companions during his escapes.
Shipbuilding and the last ship
Despite the harsh conditions, Sarah Island became a major shipbuilding centre, producing more than 100 vessels. When the prison was closing in 1834, ten convicts seized the brig Frederick and sailed to Chile, inspiring the play The Ship That Never Was.
The settlement was replaced by Port Arthur, which was easier to reach and supply.
Today, ruins of the island's buildings can be visited on Gordon River cruises from Strahan, and the island is part of the World Heritage-listed Australian Convict Sites.
Did You Know?
Hells Gates got its name from convicts who said it was the entrance to hell.