About the Port
Port Arthur occupies a sheltered position on the Tasman Peninsula south of Hobart, where sandstone ruins and restored buildings recall Australia's convict past. Established in the 1830s as a penal settlement, the site once held thousands of transported prisoners under a strict regime of forced labor and isolation. Today the grounds form a preserved historic precinct, with the roofless penitentiary, the church, and the commandant's residence among the structures still standing amid lawns and harbor views.
Walking paths connect the main buildings, and on-site exhibits explain the settlement's daily operations and eventual closure in the late 1800s. The surrounding peninsula offers rugged cliffs and native bushland, making the area a worthwhile stop beyond the historic core. Most visits center on the self-guided grounds, with the site typically reached by a short coach transfer from the coast, making comfortable footwear a practical asset for the uneven terrain.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Port Arthur.
Take the Harbor Cruise
A short boat trip around the bay passes the Isle of the Dead and Point Puer boys' prison site, offering perspective on the settlement's scale that's hard to grasp from land alone.
Explore the Isle of the Dead
This small burial island holds the graves of convicts, soldiers, and civilians; a guided landing tour explains the site's somber history and social divisions in death.
Catch the Evening Ghost Tour
A lantern-lit walk through the darkened ruins shares tales of hauntings and hardship, a popular add-on for those staying near the peninsula after the day-trippers depart.
Cruise Lines That Call Here
Cruises That Visit Port Arthur
| Departs | Cruise Line | Ship | Itinerary | Nights | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 2026 | Holland America | Noordam | 35 | $14,624 | |
| Nov 18, 2026 | Princess | Grand Princess | 12 | $2,639 | |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Princess | Grand Princess | 12 | $1,849 | |
| Jan 20, 2027 | Princess | Grand Princess | 12 | $2,401 | |
| Jan 30, 2027 | Princess | Royal Princess | 8 | $1,311 | |
| Feb 13, 2027 | Princess | Royal Princess | 21 | $8,392 | |
| Feb 20, 2027 | Princess | Royal Princess | 14 | $2,792 | |
| Mar 6, 2027 | Princess | Royal Princess | 13 | $3,460 | |
| Mar 19, 2027 | Princess | Royal Princess | 6 | $1,169 | |
| Oct 9, 2027 | Princess | Grand Princess | 11 | $1,899 | |
| Oct 23, 2027 | Princess | Royal Princess | 7 | $1,574 | |
| Oct 23, 2027 | Princess | Royal Princess | 36 | $6,286 | |
| Nov 28, 2027 | Princess | Royal Princess | 7 | $1,039 | |
| Dec 5, 2027 | Holland America | Westerdam | 30 | $4,744 | |
| Dec 6, 2027 | Princess | Grand Princess | 10 | $1,289 | |
| Dec 19, 2027 | Holland America | Westerdam | 16 | $2,586 | |
| Dec 19, 2027 | Holland America | Westerdam | 42 | $7,444 | |
| Jan 19, 2028 | Princess | Grand Princess | 12 | $1,509 | |
| Jan 30, 2028 | Holland America | Zaandam | 90 | $20,659 | |
| Feb 13, 2028 | Princess | Royal Princess | 13 | $2,206 |
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