Port Arthur

In spite of - or perhaps because of - their infamous past the remains of the old convict settlement of Port Arthur have become one of the most visited tourist attractions in the whole of Australia. A lantern-lit 'ghost tour' of the ruins at night is an eerie experience.

In daylight, however, visitors can enjoy the scenic beauty of this coastal region with its wild cliffs, sheltered inlets and fascinating natural features.

Here in 1830 Governor Sir George Arthur established a penal settlement to which the inmates of several smaller penal stations (including Sarah Island in Macquarie Harbor and Maria Island off the east coast) were transferred. The convicts sent here were put to hewing coal in the coal mines and felling timber. The Port Arthur convict colony was not closed down until 1877, 20 years after the transportation of convicts had ceased. Access: by car from Hobart on Arthur Highway; regular bus services from Hobart to Port Arthur; coach excursions from Hobart. In spite of a devastating fire in 1897 there are impressive remains of the old penal settlement: the guard tower, the church, the model prison (with a circular layout and the guard house in the middle) and the hospital. A major program of restoration and conservation was completed in 1986. The old lunatic asylum and the commandant's house are now in private ownership. The museum displays documents and relics of the penal settlement.