Sarah Island
Sarah Island
4.5
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Now strictly a tourist attraction, this island was used as a penal colony from January 1822-1833.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.5
51 reviews
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Very good
6
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Susannah H
St Kilda, Australia29 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
Fantastic Scottish bloke as our guide, absolutely spectacular tour. Incredibly informative, and very engaging (my 15 year old tells me our guide should be a high school teacher! I actually think he would be a great tv presenter!!). Thanks a lot - a great part of the Gordon River experience.
Written 12 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
phil L
Melbourne, Australia47 contributions
Apr 2021
I visited the Island as part of a cruise. We were entertained by a knowledgeable guide with great stories to tell. The visit gave me an insight to the brutality of the English penal system. Perhaps Manus and Nauru aren't much better!
Written 18 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
markodi
1 contribution
Nov 2016 • Couples
Set us on sarah island for a guided tour .the young man jason was doing a great job when his boss kia decided to belittle him in front of us all making all on the tour feel for the young man .suggest this woman does a course in how to speak to her employees
Written 8 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pam R
St Clair, Australia29 contributions
Jan 2016 • Couples
The best think we did on our trip. Had a fantastic guide who brought the whole convict years to life for us . Thoroughly recommend for any history buffs.
Written 8 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeanette M
Sydney, Australia312 contributions
Nov 2015 • Friends
We had a great cruise all day - Macquarie Harbour, Gordon River (with a viewing of the salmon and other fish farms), then to Sarah Island. We disembarked there and went on a very good guided tour. Lots of information about the convicts and early settlers of that part of Tasmania. After re-joining the boat we were given a lovely smorgasbord lunch. In the afternoon we went ashore, again, and went on an absolutely fantastic rainforest walk (boardwalk almost all the way) for about a half-hour. We were given lots of information about the Huon pine and other trees and plants. Absolutely gorgeous mosses, etc. to see all along the track. There was a coffee and snack bar on board the boat - to "top up", if needed. Almost the whole time the driver of the boat gave a wonderful commentary about where we were going, the history, geography and other information - all delivered in a lovely animated, enthusiastic voice. I highly recommend this trip. On arrival back at Strahan we were invited to go and see the Huon pine saw-mill and hear about the convict history associated with that and also see the saws actually being operated. Also were shown the timber in various stages of being cut, sawn, made into articles, etc.
Written 5 December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HES268
Tasmania, Australia60 contributions
Feb 2021
Shame the only way to get to it is by paying a fortune to go on a river cruise. Would be better if there were other ways to get there.
Written 28 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jo-Anne C
Palmerston, Australia5 contributions
Nov 2019
Our tour guide very enthusiastic but spoke at warp speed and cut off half her words so we missed half of her commentary! My husband and I left tour and did our own walk as did many others experiencing same troubles. She needs to slow it down so we can take it in!
Written 3 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kawaii
Singapore24 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
Sarah island is the forerunner in terms of convict settlement, before Port Arthur. Our guide Ingrid was very engaging and passionate. Her style of presentation kept us in suspense as she posed questions rather than told us what happened directly. Provides insight to the penal colony.
Written 13 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ToolsofTravel
Launceston, Australia164 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
The day after arriving at Strahan we boarded the Gordon River Cruise and enjoyed views of Hell’s Gates, salmon farms, historic timber sites and Australia’s temperate rain forests. The final stop is visiting Sarah Island.
Once the catamaran docked at the former site of Macquarie Harbour Penal Station, the tour guides were waiting to give a historical circuit of the Island. There’s also the option wander around at your own pace.
It doesn’t cost any extra to take the guided tour. We chose this option as I was interested to find out more about Sarah Island and the convicts who lived here.
It turns out that Sarah Island played a significant part in Tasmania’s early history.
Once the catamaran docked at the former site of Macquarie Harbour Penal Station, the tour guides were waiting to give a historical circuit of the Island. There’s also the option wander around at your own pace.
It doesn’t cost any extra to take the guided tour. We chose this option as I was interested to find out more about Sarah Island and the convicts who lived here.
It turns out that Sarah Island played a significant part in Tasmania’s early history.
Written 7 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Phillip8789
Terrigal, Australia794 contributions
May 2015 • Friends
We visited Sarah Island as part of our cruise with World Heritage Cruises. However both cruise companies, out of Strahan, have basically the same itinerary so going with either will provide the opportunity to visit this historic penal settlement.
Our guide, Kaia Davey, provided a very informative, educational and theatrical presentation, which included some impromptu role-play with us tourists.
Whilst much of the original buildings have gone and the remains are not as well-preserved as those at Port Arthur, the significance of what is still evident is no less historically important. Remnants of the penitentiary, bakehouse and solitary cells can still evoke images of what this island's convict past was notorious for.
During the tour there are even remnants of the log wharves that can be seen. Significant, because the harvesting of Huon Pine and the construction of boats from this island was a major reason for its existence.
The hour or so on Sarah Island was well-worth the cost of the whole cruise.
A little background reading before visiting Macquarie Harbour will put the tour into a far greater perspective and give you a better understanding of this infamous convict settlement.
Our guide, Kaia Davey, provided a very informative, educational and theatrical presentation, which included some impromptu role-play with us tourists.
Whilst much of the original buildings have gone and the remains are not as well-preserved as those at Port Arthur, the significance of what is still evident is no less historically important. Remnants of the penitentiary, bakehouse and solitary cells can still evoke images of what this island's convict past was notorious for.
During the tour there are even remnants of the log wharves that can be seen. Significant, because the harvesting of Huon Pine and the construction of boats from this island was a major reason for its existence.
The hour or so on Sarah Island was well-worth the cost of the whole cruise.
A little background reading before visiting Macquarie Harbour will put the tour into a far greater perspective and give you a better understanding of this infamous convict settlement.
Written 20 July 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can we visit the island without doing a Gordon River cruise?
Written 17 February 2019
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