Australia · Tasmania
Port Arthur Historic Site
UNESCO-listed convict settlement — a haunting and beautifully preserved window into Australia's penal past.
About Port Arthur Historic Site
Port Arthur was Australia's harshest convict settlement — operating from 1830 to 1877 on the windswept Tasman Peninsula. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most evocative historic places in the country.
More than 30 buildings, ruins and restored homes sit across 40 hectares of beautifully maintained grounds, telling the stories of the 12,500 convicts who passed through.
While You're There
What to See & Do
- Penitentiary ruins — the iconic four-storey shell
- Separate Prison — early experiment in psychological punishment
- Commandant's House and beautiful gardens
- Harbour cruise to the Isle of the Dead cemetery
- Evening Ghost Tour (booking essential)
How We Can Arrange It
We'll Take Care of the Details
As your booking agent, Mercury Pacific can include Port Arthur Historic Site in your tailored itinerary. Here's what we'll handle and advise on so you can simply enjoy the experience:
Allow at least half a day; ticket includes 2 days entry
Ghost tours run year-round and book out fast
Pack a windbreaker — the site is exposed
Every detail — bookings, timings and transfers — is arranged for you as part of your Mercury Pacific tour.
Keep Exploring
More in Tasmania
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Iconic Dove Lake circuit walk beneath the jagged dolerite spires of Cradle Mountain.
MONA, Hobart
Australia's most provocative and architecturally stunning art museum, accessed by ferry from the city.
Freycinet & Wineglass Bay
Pink granite peaks and a perfect crescent of white-sand beach voted one of the world's best.