Port Arthur Historic Site

The daring and the desperate

Escape from Port Arthur tour

Introducing the Escape from Port Arthur tour, a walking true crime adventure novel. You'll meet cunning and criminal characters, some clever, some courageous and some without hope.

Adult $20

11:00am daily

Some stories should never be forgotten

Isle of the Dead cemetery tour

The final resting place for over 1,000 convicts, soldiers and free settlers

Adult $30

12:20pm; 1:00pm; 3:00pm daily

Dining

Port Arthur Historic Site offers dining options to suit everyone – from quick and delicious sandwiches made fresh in our café, to the tempting menu in 1830 Restaurant & Bar. We offer full breakfast menu from 9am and lunch daily from 12pm in our café. 1830 Restaurant & Bar is open for dinner Wed-Saturday and lunch on Sunday. Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, halal and other dietary options are available upon request.

Breakfast from 9am daily
Lunch from 12pm daily
Dinner from 5pm Wednesday-Saturday

Explore at Home

Online Exhibition

A peek at some of our behind the scenes collections and their stories

Play at Home

Activities

Puzzles and Games for the whole family

There are some people we'd like you to meet...

Henry Singleton

“I made the keys and can escape from the prison with them whenever I like.”
Drunken and incompetent warders were easy prey for the enterprising Henry Singleton. When they gave him access to keys, he saw his chance.

Robert Young

Private Robert Young's headstone reads: “His melancholy fate doth plainly prove/the frail uncertainty of human life”.
Two convicts risked their lives to save Robert from drowning. Were they his friends, or were they hoping for a reward?

William Champ

“Something of this kind was much needed for the ladies of the settlement.”
Plants and gardens were Commandant William Champ’s lifelong passion. He even preferred them to beer!

David Hoy

“I treated the men as human beings, not as caged beasts.”
David Hoy gave his life to building fine ships, and to saving the men and boys in his care from lives of crime.

Margaret Dalziel

"Surgeon’s report; bad. Behaviour; idle and disorderly.”
The fiery young Scottish highway-woman tested the system to its limits but, given trust and respect, she turned her life around.

Events

8 - 16 Oct

Peninsula Art Group Exhitbition

The Peninsula Art Group are holding their Exhibition in the Asylum at Port Arthur Historic Site from 8 October 2022 - 16 October 2022

30 Nov

New Zealand Youth Choir Performance

New Zealand Youth Choir is presenting a free performance in the Convict Church at Port Arthur in late November as part of their international tour.

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Programs

26 Sept - 12 Oct

Spring School Holidays at Port Arthur Historic Site

Explore and discover more about Port Arthur Historic Site these school holidays with two very special programs for families.

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