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Port Arthur UNESCO sites

Our most recommended Port Arthur UNESCO sites

Tasman Peninsula Tour, Cruise & Port Arthur Historic Site

1. Tasman Peninsula Tour, Cruise & Port Arthur Historic Site

Experience the best of the Tasman Peninsula on an informative and entertaining day trip from Hobart.  Journey 1.5-hours from Hobart to Port Arthur by comfortable coach. Enjoy morning tea on the Tasman Peninsula. Climb aboard a custom-built boat for an unforgettable 3-hour wilderness cruise. Explore the spectacular coastline between Port Arthur and Eaglehawk Neck. Look for seals, migrating whales, seabirds, or even dolphins.  At the end of your cruise, spend 3-hours at the Port Arthur Historic Site. You will have time for lunch on site and to explore before the return journey to Hobart. Be dropped back to Hobart or your hotel around 6 pm.

Hobart: Full Day Tour to Port Arthur with Admission

2. Hobart: Full Day Tour to Port Arthur with Admission

Embark on a tour full of contrasts — compelling tales of the harsh lives of convicts combined with the breathtaking scenery of the Tasman Peninsula. Your passionate Tasmanian driver guides will entertain you with personal insights and information about wildlife and other points of interest during the bus tour and are on hand to assist you throughout the day. From Hobart, cross the Tasman Bridge and head into the Coal River Valley, an award-winning wine region, through the historic town of Richmond with a short photo stop at the famous convict-built Richmond Bridge. Visit Tasman National Park, where you’ll marvel at the spectacle of Tasman Arch and enjoy superb views of the rugged coastline. Be in awe of the wonderful views from Pirates Bay Lookout. Arriving at Port Arthur, join the guided walking tour of the historic convict site, with access to over 30 restored buildings and ruins. See the penitentiary, the separate prison, the commandant's house, the church, and more. Visit the interpretation center with its interactive exhibits and displays, and follow the harrowing life of a convict. Enjoy a cruise on Carnarvon Bay around the Isle of the Dead. Purchase lunch with plenty of time for quiet contemplation in the beautifully maintained gardens and to explore the many restored historic buildings of Port Arthur. Ask your driver about the optional, included remarkable cave tour. On Saturdays, the tour includes a visit to Hobart’s Salamanca Market. Delight in a shopping experience at this popular, colorful outdoor marketplace. You'll have time to explore the market at leisure for approximately 2 hours. Then, you will need to meet your bus at 11:00 to continue on with the Port Arthur tour and get a sense of Australia’s convict era and the early settlement of Tasmania. The Saturday tour does not include the cave tour or a visit to Richmond.

Port Arthur Shuttle and Tasman Sights Tour

3. Port Arthur Shuttle and Tasman Sights Tour

Take a conveninient shuttle transfer srevice from Port Arthur to Hobart. Travel in comfort on air-conditioned vehicles driven by a friendly local driver. After pickup, set off on the journey to Port Arthur. Along the way, stop at Eaglehawk Neck’s Pirates Bay lookout and the Dog Line monument to soak up the scenery and take fantastic photos. The next stop will have the mouths of sweet tooths watering as you visit the Tasmanian Chocolate Foundry. After the chocolate factory, explore the beautiful Port Arthur Lavender Farm. Discover unique handmade products made from Tasmanian Lavender and take a stroll around the scenic lavender trail. Next, visit the Port Arthur Historic Site. Immerse yourself in the fascinating, rich, and dark history of the best-preserved penal settlement in Australia. Admission is at your own cost and the entry fee will include a 35-minute guided walking tour and a 20-minute harbor cruise. If history is what you came for, enjoy the full 4 hours exploring Port Arthur Historic Site. However, if you are up for one more experience, then you can hop back onboard the bus after 3 hours for a trip to the Remarkable Cave. Just a short 8-minute drive away, be greeted with the spectacular vista of Maingon Bay. At the lookout, you can take in the exceptional views of Penguin Rocks and the bay. Descend down the 115 steps to view the Remarkable Cave from a viewing platform where you will be surrounded by ancient sandstone cliffs. Return back to the historic site to pick up the remaining passengers and then return to Hobart in the late afternoon.

Port Arthur: Tour with Isle of the Dead Cruise

4. Port Arthur: Tour with Isle of the Dead Cruise

Cross the Tasman Bridge, and head out on the Tasman Highway over the Pittwater Causeway onto Forestier Peninsula. Admire the pristine beauty of Pirates Bay, Eaglehawk Neck, and Norfolk Bay. Visit Abel Tasman National Park, where you’ll marvel at the spectacle of the Tasman Arch and enjoy superb views of the rugged coastline. You’ll be amazed at the magnitude of the Devil's Kitchen. Explore Port Arthur, where you’ll take a guided walking tour of the historic convict site, with access to over 30 restored buildings and ruins. See the penitentiary, the separate prison, the commandant's house, and the church.

From Hobart: Richmond, Tasman Peninsula & Port Arthur Tour

5. From Hobart: Richmond, Tasman Peninsula & Port Arthur Tour

Step inside Australia’s most intact and evocative convict site at World Heritage-listed Port Arthur Historic Site. Unravel the dark history of hardship and punishment as you wander through the ruins and preserved buildings of Port Arthur.  Delve into the dark history of hardship and punishment on a guided introductory tour through the ruins and preserved buildings of Port Arthur. Port Arthur Historic Site is a bucket-list destination for most visitors to Tasmania.  Enjoy a short harbor cruise around the Isle of the Dead and Point Puer, the site of the English colonies' first boy's prison. Enjoy a warm drink, a bite to eat, or sample a local wine or beer.  Get the camera ready for the stunning coastline of the Tasman Peninsula. These soaring sea cliffs will leave a lasting impression. Visit all the highlights like Eaglehawk Neck, Blowhole, Tasman Arch, and Devil's Kitchen.  Explore the quaint historic village of Richmond. Walk over and under the oldest convict-constructed sandstone bridge in Australia, visit the oldest Catholic Church in Australia and peruse the antique shops and galleries. 

Tasmania in 6 Days: the Major Highlights and Attractions

6. Tasmania in 6 Days: the Major Highlights and Attractions

Day one: Port Arthur Historic Site Begin your trip with a pick up around 7:00 AM. After a quick look at Australia’s best preserved colonial village, Richmond, head south to explore Tasmania’s ruthless convict past at the World Heritage listed Port Arthur Historic Site. A guided walk and harbor cruise are included. Rich in visual history, learn of the chilling life of a convict in the restored sandstone prison buildings and preserved ruins. Visit selected geological wonders within Tasman National Park, to top-off a full day on the Tasman Peninsula before returning to Hobart. Day two: Hobart to Strahan Drive through the Derwent Valley. Travel east to west across the island. See the beautiful Russell Falls, walk among the Mt Field National Park tall trees, and visit Australia’s deepest freshwater lake, Lake St Clair. Explore the pristine Franklin-Gordon Wild River National Park and end the day in Strahan, where you will stay overnight. Day three: Wild West Coast  In the untouched wilderness of Tasmania’s West Coast, explore the shifting sands of Henty Dunes. Then continue into the Tarkine Rainforest and walk to Tasmania’s highest waterfall, Montezuma Falls. Stay overnight again in Strahan.  Day four: Cradle Mountain to Launceston  Around 950 meters above sea level is the World Heritage listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Claire National Park. Here, choose a walk to take. With an extensive range of tracks, you can stroll around Dove Lake or challenge yourself with a hike to Marion’s Lookout. After, take a short drive through Sheffield, the town of murals, to Launceston for your overnight stay.  Day five: Launceston to Bicheno Start the day with a journey to the East Coast and the beautiful Bay of Fires, where the beaches are gleaming and the is water inviting. If the conditions are right, this is the perfect place for a swim and to explore the orange lichen-clad boulders, white sands and turquoise waters of the stunning East Coast. Tasmania’s most scenic coastal drive takes you from St Helens to Bicheno. You will stay overnight at accommodation in Bicheno. Day six: Freycinet National Park to Hobart After breakfast, get ready for an early start to be the first to the Wineglass Bay lookout at the Freycinet National Park. Beat the crowds and the heat for that picture postcard photograph. Relax on a secluded beach or choose the more challenging Mount Amos or Hazards Beach walk. Continue further along the scenic east coast via the seaside towns of Swansea and Orford. Return to Hobart for 5:30 PM. 

Hobart: 2-Day Bruny Island and Port Arthur Experience

7. Hobart: 2-Day Bruny Island and Port Arthur Experience

Day 1: Bruny Island Your tour departs Hobart at 7:30AM, from where you make your way to Mavista Falls. Step into this temperate rainforest and smell the clean crisp air as you take in mother nature’s provisions. This 20-minute round-trip walk gives you an idea of the many environments on this magnificent island. Following your rainforest walk, travel to the Cape Bruny Lighthouse to spend 30 minutes exploring the picturesque Cape Bruny, home to the second-oldest original tower in Australia. You then travel to the Neck to capture the iconic Bruny Island image from atop the 360-degree lookout. From there, receive views of the Tasman Sea, Tasman peninsula, North and South Bruny Island, and Mt. Wellington. Time for lunch at a Bruny Island pub is then provided, with options for all diets available. Alternatively, you can bring your own food and drinks. Following lunch, there is the option to travel to Bruny Island Premium Wines to enjoy $5 wine tastings. You then advance to Adventure Bay - the largest little seaside town on the island. Spend some time on the famous local beach, which has seen some of the world’s most famous explorers land. Get Shucked Oyster Bar is next on your agenda, where you have the chance to purchase what Tasmania is famous for: Oysters. Following that, you arrive back in Hobart at approximately 5:30PM. Day 2: Port Arthur YOn route to Port Arthur, we will stop at Eaglehawk Neck’s Pirate Bay lookout and the Dog Line monument to soak up the scenery and have a photo opportunity or two! The next stop will have the mouths of sweet tooths watering as we visit the Tasmanian Chocolate Foundry. Following the chocolate factory, we will visit the beautiful Port Arthur Lavender Farm. Explore the unique handmade products made from Tasmanian Lavender and take a stroll around the scenic lavender trail. Up next is the Port Arthur Historic Site. Immerse yourself in the fascinating, rich and dark history of the best-preserved penal settlement in Australia. Admission is at own cost and entry fee will include a 35-minute guided walking tour and a 20-minute harbour cruise. If history is what you came for, enjoy the full 4 hours exploring the historic site. If you are up for one more experience, then you can hop back onboard the bus after 3 hours for a trip to the Remarkable Cave. Just a short 8-minute drive away, you will be greeted with the spectacular vista of Maingon Bay. At the lookout you can take in the exceptional views of Penguin Rocks and the bay. You can then descend down the 115 steps to view the Remarkable Cave from a viewing platform where you will be surrounded by ancient sandstone cliffs. We will then return back to the historic site to pick up the remaining passengers and then return to Hobart at 5:30pm.

Other Sightseeing Options in Port Arthur

Want to discover all there is to do in Port Arthur? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Port Arthur

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 96 reviews

Great experience from go to whoah! Our bus driver Allen very accommodating, funny and knowledgable. Cruise staff Lily and Kane were fun and pointed out those ancient weathered and craggy cliffs populated in many places by various species of seals. Large pod of dolphins at start of cruise (paid to appear on cue by Pennicotts)? Port Arthur walkabout interesting but spoiled by rain Overall really great value for mony and would do it all again.

This tour was Great from pick up from motel to drop off back at motel , both drivers were informative and easy going , Darren was especially informative and the Dad jokes were next level Port Arthur was very impressive, cruise to Dead Island is a must, the Tour Guide on the Island made this tour very enjoyable! Highly recommend , thanks to all

We had a great time. Bill, our driver/guide, was informative and personable. The lunch was unexpectedly excellent ("you get a salad roll") with wonderfully fresh ingredients. Port Arthur holds a thrall, but the tour feels rushed after we'd been exploring on our own. We'd prefer to have a longer tour before our own wandering.

The lady who was in charge of the comadant’s house 18th afternoon, was very kind and helpful. She noticing that my wife was finding difficult walk up the hill, etc she herself got down a buggy for us without us requesting. We recommend her as an excellent customer relation person.

Darren was a great guide with just the right amount of info and corny jokes.