Port Arthur

Tasmania’s most famous convict settlement combines an idyllic coastal setting with a brutal history. 

Between 1830 and 1877, about 12,500 convicts served sentences at what is now the World Heritage-listed Port Arthur Historic Site.

More than 30 buildings and ruins dot the Tasman Peninsula site, ranging from a large penitentiary, which was originally constructed as a flour mill, to a roofless church built by convicts. Sombre scenes such as the much-feared isolation cells of the Separate Prison are contrasted by the neat homes and gardens of the settlement of soldiers and free settlers that arose around the prison.

Wander the 40-hectare landscaped grounds and join one of the tours to gain full appreciation of this pivotal place in Tasmanian history. Tickets to the historic site allow entry for two consecutive days, and include an introductory walking tour and a 20min harbour cruise. The cruise offers glimpses of the Isle of the Dead and Point Puer, where more than 3000 boys were imprisoned in Britain’s first purpose-built prison for children.

https://www.discovertasmania.com.au/places/hobart-and-south/port-arthur/

From Hobart, take the Tasman Highway (A3) across the Tasman Bridge, past Hobart International Airport, and on to Sorell, 27 km south-east of Hobart.

• In Sorell, turn right onto the Arthur Highway (A9) at the traffic lights in the centre of the town.
  Continue on the Arthur Highway for 30 km until you arrive in the township of Dunalley. Drive through town until you reach the bridge over the canal.

• Turn left onto the bridge and continue for another 44 km until you see the turn off to Port Arthur Historic Site on the left.