Port Arthur, Tas.

One of the most famous historical sites in Australia, Port Arthur is an eerie reminder of the harsh conditions many of Australia's convicts had to live in. No mere prison, this penal colony was a bustling hub of industry for many years.

The history of Port Arthur

Port Arthur was primarily a place for the re-offenders of the colonies, and so became a notoriously harsh place for those who had to live there. Originally established in 1830 as a replacement for the Birches Bay timber camp that had closed a short time before, it wasn't long before Port Arthur rose in prominence within the penal system, and expanded its industrial operations to include a flourmill and granary in 1842.

The convicts of Port Arthur had to bear the brunt of physical subjugation for the benefit of their masters. They constructed any number of products, from boats to bricks. Along with a steam-driven sawmill, it also housed a blacksmith and forge and a carpentry workshop. The twilight of Port Arthur as a penal colony came with the shipping out of the last convict in 1877. The land was parcelled up and sold during the 1880s and renamed 'Carnavon'.

Port Arthur today

The buildings of Port Arthur present an imposing view into our country’s past. By far the most impressive, the Penitentiary, was once the flour mill and granary. In 1857 it was converted to the Penitentiary, holding up to 480 convicts at one time. The building was sadly gutted by fires in 1897, and was left derelict until restoration began in the 1960s.

The Separate Prison, built in 1850, saw a change in tactic from the masters of Port Arthur. Flogging and physical labour gave way to the mental subjugation of solitary confinement, made easy by the rows of solitary cells built within its walls. Today, a major conservation project is underway to preserve this relic of confinement.

Other buildings of interest on the site include the old hospital, built in 1841-42 but gutted in the 1895 and 1897 fires. A church built by convicts, a residence for the Master Shipwright, the Commandant’s Residence and Officer’s Row all make for fascinating exploration.

Port Arthur is also a great place to take the kids. The Family Activity Program operates during the summer holidays, and includes three history plays that are performed from Boxing Day through to Australia Day. Walks such as the Stewart’s Bay Track, which starts from the Dockyard, leads to the bays and beaches where women and children used to bathe. In January, children can participate in an organised archaeological dig, and at any time throughout the year visit the Lottery of Life Interpretation Gallery, which follows the life of one of the convicts.

Port Arthur is an interesting way of finding out about the history of colonial Australia and the harsh conditions faced by those who were forced from their homes so far away. No visit to Tasmania would be complete without a full day set aside for this amazing site.