Port Arthur
Port Arthur is a small town and former convict settlement on the Tasman Peninsula, in Tasmania, Australia. Port Arthur is one of Australia’s most significant heritage areas and an open-air museum.
The site forms part of the Australian Convict Sites, a World Heritage property consisting of eleven remnant penal sites originally built within the British Empire during the 18th and 19th centuries on fertile Australian coastal strips. Collectively, these sites, including Port Arthur, now represent, “…the best surviving examples of large-scale convict transportation and the colonial expansion of European powers through the presence and labour of convicts.”
Port Arthur is officially Tasmania’s top tourist attraction. It is located approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) south east of the state capital, Hobart. In 1996 it was the scene of the worst mass murder event in post-colonial Australian history.
Port Arthur is located approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) south east of the state capital, Hobart, on the Tasman Peninsula. The scenic drive from Hobart, via the Tasman Highway to Sorell and the Arthur Highway to Port Arthur, takes around 90 minutes and covers approximately 96 kilometres (60 mi). Transport from Hobart to the site is also available via bus or ferry, and various companies offer day tours from Hobart.
Highlights
- Port Arthur UNESCO World Heritage site 2-day pass
- Tour one of Australia’s best-preserved convict sites
- See more than 30 historic buildings and ruins
- Take a guided introductory walking tour and harbor cruise
- Visit the Lottery of Life Convict Gallery, Museum and Convict Study Centre and Dockyards