Port Arthur
Set on the tip of the Tasman Peninsula, Port Arthur is a great base to explore the historic site and the area’s natural attractions including dramatic coastal rock formations and towering cliffs. The Port Arthur Historic Site was established in 1830 as a timber station and was soon built into a small town designed for the housing and punishment of over a thousand of Tasmania’s most notorious convicts. Full of powerful stories of hardship and loss, it’s one of Tasmania’s most rewarding travel experiences. You can find more early Australian convict history at the World Heritage-listed Coal Mines Historic Site, twenty kilometres north-west of Port Arthur, where the site reveals the harsh lives of repeat offender convicts who worked underground extracting coal. Port Arthur’s dark history contrasts with the stark beauty of the surrounding area. Nature also looms large with unique rock formations such as Remarkable Cave and beautiful waterways like Crescent Bay, a secluded curve of striking beauty backed by massive sand dunes.
Things to Do and Places to Visit in the Port Arthur Area
Driving Time:
From Hobart: 1 hr 20 mins
From Launceston: 3 hrs 8 mins
Find Accommodation in Port Arthur
Population: 499 (2006)
Established: 1830
Elevation: 192 m
Location: 95ﾠkm SE of Hobart
Local Council: Tasman | Visit Council Website
