Sarah Island was one of the harshest convict stations in colonial Australia, operating in Macquarie Harbour from 1822. The ruins are low and weathered now, but the setting tells much of the story: a small island, cold water, dense forest, and almost no easy way out.
Most visitors come as part of a Gordon River cruise, with a guide explaining the shipbuilding, punishments, escapes, and daily grind of the settlement. It is more powerful than it looks at first glance.