From 1835 to 1983 this eerie-but-elegant complex was used to isolate new arrivals suspected of carrying disease, in an attempt to limit the spread of cholera, smallpox and bubonic plague. These days the 'Q Station' has been reborn as a tourist destination with a museum, accommodation, restaurants and a whole swathe of tour options.
The 2½-hour, night-time, adults-only Ghostly Encounters tour (from $49) rattles some skeletons; the two-hour Ghost Trackers tour (adult/child $36/28) softens some of the horrors. The two-hour daytime Quarantine Station Story tour (adult/child $35/25) highlights the personal stories of those who worked and waited here, while the 45-minute Wharf Wander is a truncated version for those short on time. Bookings are required for all tours.
