Macquarie Harbour
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Macquarie Harbour is a large, shallow, inlet on the [[west coast of Tasmania, Australia.
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History
The first settlement at Macquarie Harbour was on Sarah Island, a small island in the harbour. This island was used as a prison for recalcitrant prisoners from other settlements in Tasmania, due to its extreme isolation and extreme climate.
Later the small port of Strahan was developed on the shores of Macquarie Harbour to support the nearby mining settlements, mainly Queenstown. Another port was developed on the south east section of the harbour in Kelly Basin by the name of Pillinger, the settlement and port were short lived as was the company that developed the facilities - North Mount Lyell. Today Strahan is the base for tourism on the west coast.
Geography
The King River which cuts through the West Coast Range and the Gordon River empty into Macquarie Harbour. The narrow entrance to Macquarie Harbour has hazardous tidal currents and is called Hells Gates.
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