Guide to Port Arthur Penal Colony in Australia
History of Tasmania's Convict Settlement Turned Tourist Attraction
Australia’s island state is rightly renowned for its beauty. Its combination of stunning beaches and rugged mountain has drawn comparisons with New Zealand and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area covers 20% of the island, Cape Grim, in the northwest of Tasmania, lays claim to possessing the cleanest air and water on the planet.
Convict History
But amidst the beauty there lurks a sinister history. The same isolation that has helped to preserve its wildlife and keep much of the scenery unspoilt, also inspired its status as a penal colony, and has in turn helped to preserve this rich, colonial history. Today visitors enjoy Wineglass Bay and Cradle mountain but once upon a time, a very different group of visitors were confronted with Hell’s Gates and the Isle of the Dead.
Port Arthur
It is difficult to set foot anywhere in Tasmania without being reminded of its turbulent past, however it is Port Arthur, in the south east of Tasmania, that revisits this era on the largest scale. Between 1830 and 1877 it was home to more than twelve and a half thousand prisoners, and is now one of Tasmania’s most popular tourist attractions.
Wandering around the ruins, comprising not only the penitentiary but also a church, hospital, dockyards and a row of officers' homes, it feels almost like surveying a fallen battlefield.
The crumbling stone barracks and houses share the lush, green pastures with the remnants of and a lunatic asylum. There is also museum that boasts the chains used to tie prisoners amongst its many garish artefacts
Isle of the Dead
In a harbour adjacent to the prison site, lies the Isle of the Dead. Approximately a thousand prisoners were buried here between 1833 and 1877, mostly in unmarked graves. Guided tours of the island are available, as part of the harbour cruise.
- Ghost Tours of Port Arthur are very popular, with several tours departing each night. The eerie atmosphere and dark tales of the past make for a great, if sometimes chilling, experience.
- Different entry passes are available depending on which tours visitors are interested in. Prices start from $28 AUD for adults and $14 AUD for children.
Getting There
Port Arthur is about a ninety minute drive from the capital of Tasmania, Hobart. Its proximity to the city makes for a comfortable day trip but to appreciate the region at a more leisurely pace and for a chance to join one of the night time ghost tours, there is plenty of accommodation available in the town,
More Convict History
There are numerous other historical sites throughout the island. Bridges built by convicts are dotted around the countryside and both Maria Island and Sarah Island were home to prisoners. Read about them in more detail here.
Recent Past
Tragedy returned to Port Arthur in April 1996 when a lone gunmen murdered 35 people.
Port Arthur
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