Port Arthur is one of the most significant and tangible relics of Australia’s convict system, located about 90 minutes’ drive from Hobart. On the way, a must-stop point is Eaglehawk Neck, where soldiers and dogs once guarded the narrow isthmus to prevent convict escapes from Port Arthur. Here, a chain was stretched across the 100-metre-wide neck, with dogs stationed to deter any escape attempts. Adding to the deterrent, a rumor circulated about shark-infested waters, though this didn’t stop bushranger Martin Cash and two friends from escaping in 1843. Today, visitors come not for the guards, but for the natural wonders, including the Tasman Arch, Devil’s Kitchen, Blowhole, and the Tessellated Pavement.

Port Arthur, located near the southern tip of the Tasman Peninsula, began as a timber station in 1830 and later became a male prison settlement in 1833. By the 1840s, the settlement was nearly self-sufficient, but with the decline in convict transportation in the 1850s and 1860s, it gradually declined, leading to its closure in 1877. Over the years, many buildings were destroyed by fires, vandalism, or dismantled for building materials. It was briefly renamed Carnarvon, but reverted to Port Arthur in 1927.

Visitors now enter through the Visitor Centre, where the entry pass is valid for two days. Upon entry, you can experience life as a 19th-century convict, complete with a prisoner identity card. This allows you to trace the story of an actual prisoner and follow their journey through the site’s history. There are around thirty buildings, including some ruins and restored structures. These range from prison buildings to homes of civilians and staff.

A highlight is the Separate Prison, designed for the harshest offenders, where silence and solitary confinement were enforced. Even in church, prisoners were isolated in individual stalls, allowed only to sing and pray. Visitors can also explore the beautifully built church, the hospital, and other key structures, including a Post Office and a Policeman’s Residence.

In more recent history, Port Arthur was the site of a tragic event in 1996, when a mass shooting claimed 35 lives. The victims are memorialized in a Memorial Garden near the Visitor Centre.

Beyond Port Arthur, visitors can explore the nearby Remarkable Cave, located five kilometres south, and other notable convict sites such as the Coal Mines, located in the north-west of the peninsula. The mines provided Tasmania with some independence from New South Wales, though prisoners endured harsh conditions while extracting coal. Other convict outstations of interest include Nubeena, Premaydena, Saltwater River, Koonya, and Taranna.

Port Arthur offers visitors an immersive experience of convict history, stunning natural scenery, and a chance to explore Tasmania’s darker past, all in one unforgettable visit.