Hells Gates, Narrow strait at Macquarie Harbour entrance, Tasmania, Australia.
Hells Gates is a narrow strait at the entrance to Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania's west coast, separating Macquarie Heads on the west from Entrance Island on the east. The passage cuts through rough coastal waters and provides the only access to the sheltered harbor beyond.
The strait was modified in the early 1900s through harbor works that built a breakwater and deepened the channel. These improvements made navigation safer for vessels serving the remote penal settlement.
The name comes from convicts who saw this passage as their entry point to the penal station on Sarah Island. For prisoners, this water crossing marked the beginning of isolation in one of Tasmania's harshest settlements.
The passage is best viewed from the mainland via nearby coastal trails and viewpoints in the area. Waters here can be rough, so observing from a safe vantage point is the most sensible option for most visitors.
Two lighthouses stand on Entrance and Bonnet Islands, guarding this dangerous passage since the 1800s. These structures rank among the region's oldest operating navigation aids.
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