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Port Arthur Historic Site

Port Arthur Historic Site Cafe, Arthur Highway, Port Arthur TAS, Australia
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Duration

5 Hours

Cancellation

No Cancellation

Group Size

20 people

Languages

English

Overview

We are lucky that Port Arthur is a large outdoor site spanning over 40 hectares (100 acres) with over 30 buildings and ruins to explore.  We apologise that a few of our smaller spaces are closed for your safety according to current gathering and social distancing restrictions.  Click here for more information on how we’re helping to keep you and our community safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The site’s coastal location means we can experience sudden weather changes, so make sure you’re prepared for sun, rain, wind, cold and warmth!
  • Dress in comfortable, layered clothing
  • Bring a raincoat (umbrellas are of limited use in the wind!)
  • Wear comfortable shoes, suitable for walking
  • Pack sunscreen and a hat
  • Check the weather forecast before your visit and dress for the conditions

Included/Excluded

  • The Tasman Peninsula offers a huge variety of sightseeing options. Visit the Coal Mines Historic Site for a further insight into the area’s convict past. Explore the Tasman National Park, embark upon the Three Capes Track, or choose a short coastal walk to see Australia’s highest sea cliffs and natural rock formations like Remarkable Cave, The Devil’s Kitchen, the Tessellated Pavement and Tasman Arch.

Languages

English

Activity's Location

Port Arthur Historic Site Cafe, Arthur Highway, Port Arthur TAS, Australia

FAQs

The convicts built their own prison walls
It’s hard to imagine that they would really care about leaving a few bricks loose!

The initial industrial penal settlement was built of timber from the surrounding forest and was home to key manufactories, such as ship building, shoemaking, smithing, and timber and brick making. But by the 1840s, Port Arthur was home to more than 2000 convicts, soldiers, and free officers (and their families), and by 1848 the first stone was laid by the prisoners for the separate prison, which stands as a central attraction today.
An ambitious experiment….. but did it work?
Believe it or not, despite all of the cruelties that went on at Port Arthur, the Governor was trialling an ambitious experiment around the philosophy that prisoners could reform while still being punished.

The authorities’ aim was to offer its prisoners the opportunity to turn themselves into useful citizens of the future by building a system on punishment and discipline, classification and separation, religious and moral instruction, trade training, and education.

But for the convict who did not abide by the rules, life was harsh.
Convict tattoos… more than just for decoration.
It’s nice to know some things are woven through history. Go back 180 years, and even convicts had a thing for tattoos. And just like today, they were for many and varied reasons. From purely decorative, to a tribute to a loved one, and even a reminder of a trial date, or in fact when their sentence would be complete.

While some of the most common tattoos were that of a woman, a cross or crucifixion, a heart with the initials of a loved one, a man, and a mermaid – the most popular was that of an anchor, which was a symbol for hope.

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