Called Mat-te-wan-ye (rocky island) by the Gadigal people, in colonial times the small fortified island off Mrs Macquaries Pt was a sorry site of suffering, used to isolate recalcitrant convicts. It was nicknamed ‘Pinchgut’ for its meagre rations. Fears of a Russian invasion during the mid-19th-century Crimean War led to its fortification. The NPWS offers tours of the Martello tower (cheaper if prebooked with your ferry ticket), although plenty of people just pop over to visit the cafe.
Both Captain Cook Cruises and Manly Fast Ferry have several services per day heading to the island from Darling Harbour and Circular Quay.
