Tasman National Park & Port Arthur Day Tour

This is one of the beautiful drives in Australia, the dramatic contrast along the way will surprise you. You see soaring 300 metre high sea cliffs, surging ocean, rock formations like Tasman Arch, The Blow Hole and other wonderful sights. Then you arrive at Port Arthur and immediately get caught up in the history and the beauty of the gardens. It is a fascinating place to learn about Australia’s early convict history.

Truly immerse yourself in the power of the history of Van Dieman’s Land, the historic Tasmania. Tasmania is a wonder of nature and history, and with this tour you will get to truly experience both, with a full exploration of the harrowing history of Tasmania’s convict past and the opportunities to see Tasmania’s richest natural wonders.

• Engage with the compelling and dramatic history of Tasmania at Port Arthur, taking a 40 minute guided tour of the site before exploring at your leisure
• Enjoy a harbour cruise to pass the Isle of the Dead to put yourself in the shoes of a convict arriving in Van Dieman’s Land for the first time
• Be awed by the spectacular coastal scenery as you pass through Pirate’s Bay, Eaglehawk Neck and Norfolk Bay

This is a tour for those who want the best of the wonders of Tasmania’s rich historic and natural world. Join the early tour to head south-east from Hobart, departing with a view of Hobart’s Government House, home to the Governor of Tasmania and the seat of political power for the island state.

After crossing the Derwent River your coach will take you on an orientation tour through the historic town of Richmond (Oct-Apr only). Stop for a phot at the famous convict built Richmond Bridge before heading towards the Tasman Peninsula and the stunning coastal scenery of Pirate’s Bay, Eaglehawk Neck and Norfolk Bay. These pristine golden sands and rugged sheer-faced cliffs will amaze you.

Your tour will stop to allow you to take perfect photographs of the awe inspiring Pirates Bay lookout.

After you’ve experienced all of the incredible scenery, your next stop will be the historical Port Arthur, the living museum of history where we spend around 5 hours. The former convict site has a history that is both representative of Tasmania and unique as a stand-alone site of significance.

Hear the stories of Port Arthur as told by a skilled and experienced guide for a 40 minute tour before exploring your own interests. With access to over 30 buildings and ruins at Port Arthur, this is the one tour that allows you the time to see it all.

Don’t miss the Penitentiary, which was at one time a granary and flour mill, and at another time a separate prison, and at yet another a Commandant’s house and a church and more. The Penitentiary is hallowed ground and an internationally-significant historical site, known to inmate and intimates as ‘The Tench’.

The magnificent building is a treat for the eyes and the soul, the Penitentiary is an interpretative experience not to be missed. And you will get to explore it in detail, alongside a cruise to the Isle of the Dead, the cemetery island that holds the remains of over a 1000 people who died and were buried between 1833 and 1877. This is a unique vantage point from which to explore Port Arthur’s incredible convict history and one not to be missed.