49. Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia. The final part of our road trip doing the Lap of Tasmania, Australia.
This is the final leg of our road trip doing the lap of Tasmania.
Wow what a trip it was!
In this episode we tell you all about the most visited tourist attraction in Tasmania – the Port Arthur historic convict site. This was one of the harshest convict penal colonies in all of Australia.
We take you all around this world heritage site. We go through the buildings that housed all the prisoners, the asylum, the guard towers and the commandant’s house that overlooks the whole site and the town with its gardens, houses and churches that are all part of the site.
We share the lovely and very convenient place where we stayed and how we came to have the biggest oysters of the whole trip – thanks Lyle.
You will hear just how indulgent I was at the lavender farm with its 16,000 lavender plants – I think I must have consumed at least a whole plant myself.
We tell you how nervous we were (or I was) on our way to a gin distillery as the trees got taller and road became narrower.
Finally, we share one of Australia’s darkest days that happened on 28th April 1996 and the emotional memorial that remembers the 34 people who lost their lives that day.
Stay listening to the end to hear our wrap up of our road trip and what we loved most and of course our favourite places in all of Tassie to have a glass of wine.
Thanks for listening and please enjoy the final part of our road trip doing the Lap of Tasmania.
SHOW NOTES AND PICTURES BELOW
Tasman Arch
The final part of our Tasmanian road trip was to the Tasman Peninsular, Port Arthur township and the world famous historic convict penitentiary of Port Arthur.
On the way to Port Arthur, we stopped at the incredible Tasman Arch and Devil’s Kitchen. Tasman Arch is a natural towering bridge that was formed over thousands of years by the powerful forces of the ocean and wind in this rugged coastline area of Australia. There is a short walk from the arch to see the deep trench that is called Devil’s Kitchen.
Both these natural formations are part of the Tasman National Park right at the bottom of Tasmania.
Port Arthur Lavender Farm
The Lavender farm was opened in October 2014. It is right on Long Bay close to Port Arthur and has spectacular views. Walking around the thousands of lavender plants is just magical and smells divine. There are many lavender drinks and meals on the menu, including the blueberry and lavender infused pancakes that I tried, which you can see in the pictures. I also enjoyed a lavender earl grey tea. There are lots of lavender themed products to buy and of course all the nice smelly stuff as well. Check out their website here Port Arthur Lavender Tasmania
Port Arthur Memorial
The 28th April 1996 was one of Australia’s darkest days when 35 people were killed and 23 injured by a lone gunman at the Port Arthur Historical site.
There is a very subtle, respectful and moving memorial on the site of the old café where those who lost their lives are forever remembered. If you visit the historic site, please take the time to go and see the memorial so that those who died on that awful day are never forgotten.
Port Arthur Historic Site
There is a lot to see at the historic convict penal settlement. It covers a huge area with over 30 buildings and ruins. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Tasmania with over 250,000 visitors each year.
As part of your entry fee you can take a free guided tour for 90 minutes.
The biggest building is the penitentiary which is overlooked by the guard towers. It was opened as a tourist attraction in 1979 and declared a World Heritage Site in 2010. You can visit the official Port Arthur Historical Site webpage here.
You can walk around the commandant’s house which still has some original furniture and wallpaper. The gardens are still beautifully maintained and overlook the whole site as well as Mason’s Cove.
The site also has government gardens, houses of the officers and magistrates and a cathedral. The site was a fully functioning penal colony and town until is closed in 1877.
The site is only 97km from Hobart and there are daytrips either by bus or ferry to the site.
If driving to Port Arthur you have to cross from the mainland to the Tasman Peninsular by Eaglehawk Neck with is only 30 metres wide. This was where they had officers to stop prisoners escaping as the rest of the site was surrounded by ocean and the prisoners were told that the waters were full of sharks.
There are lots of different tours you can do, including the Ghost Tour where when completed, you receive a bravery certificate.
Where we stayed and the best place to eat
We stayed in the lovely Port Arthur villas. They were spacious, clean and the owners were very helpful and nice. The villas are very close to the historic site. We would definitely recommend staying here.
We ate at the Port Arthur Motel and Restaurant which is just up the road from the Port Arthur Villas. We had the biggest oysters in all of Tasmania here - and they were spectacular. We tell you all about our meals and the stunning views of the historic site in the podcast.
Of course, if you want detailed information about the historic site, the Tasman Peninsular and Port Arthur township, including where to stay and eat - then listen to the podcast.
This is the fifth and final part of our road trip doing the lap of Tasmania. You can see all the previous podcasts, pictures and show notes by clicking the button below.