Port Arthur Deep History Tour｜Guided by a Convict Descendant
- 8–9 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Port Arthur & Tasman Peninsula: A Descendant’s Perspective Join a full-day tour led by a guide with 17 convict ancestors. This isn't a shuttle service; it’s a deep dive into the human stories of Van Diemen’s Land. The Journey: Richmond (30m): Explore an early convict settlement where forced labor built the iconic stone bridge and village. The Natural Prison: Visit Pirates Bay and the Tessellated Pavement. See how Tasmania’s rugged coast acted as a physical and psychological wall. Port Arthur (4h): Entry included. Go beyond the ruins to hear personal stories of daily routines, punishment, and survival. Coastal Wonders (30m): Witness Tasman Arch, Devil’s Kitchen, and the Blowhole—nature’s boundaries that made escape impossible. Lavender Farm: An optional, peaceful contrast to the peninsula's harsh history. Ideal for travelers seeking a meaningful, narrative driven connection to the landscape.
Inclusions
What's included
- Port Arthur entry fee
- Small group
- Local Guide
- Hotel pickup/drop off
What's not
- Food and drinks
Itinerary
Start with a visit to the well-preserved colonial village of Richmond to see Australia's oldest bridge and take the chance to grab coffee from the Richmond bakery.
In geology and geomorphology, a tessellated pavement is a relatively flat rock surface that is subdivided into more or less regular rectangles, blocks approaching rectangles, or irregular or regular polygons by fractures, frequently systematic joints, within the rock.
World Heritage listed Port Arthur Historic Site is the best preserved convict site in Australia, and among the most significant convict era sites worldwide.
One of the Tasman Peninsula's firest coastal lookouts is actually on the Forestier Peninsula, high on the hillsides above the Tesselated Pavement. Pirates Bay Lookout gives panoramic views down the east coast of Tasmania Peninsula and overs spectacular vistas towards Cape Hauy and Cape Pillar, which are both visible on a clear day.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.9
- 530
- 42
- 30
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- 10
Ratings come from 32 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
4Don’t miss this trip
What a great day one of the highlights of our entire 2 weeks in Tasmania. Port Aurthur was amazing and the driver keep the trip up there interesting with lots of history, stories and facts
5Really enjoyable
The maximum group is 11 people so we can go to many places and not waste time waiting. Richmond Village is beautiful and quaint. Because I had to leave before 9am, I couldn't get into Old Hobart Town. Port Arthur is wonderful. Guide Jarrod gave us a lot of interesting and useful information, and managed the time appropriately.
5Port Arthur Tour
Excellent day out enjoyed scenery looking out of bus. Port Arthur is a must visit. So educational. Our driver Jarred was lovely & his talk was very educational too. Would definitely recommend.
5More than one view
Great tour with interesting stops along the way. Guide was knowledgeable about the area and timed his ride to comfortably appreciate the tour.
5A varied and fun day
Our great tour guide Scott fit so much into the day from the first stop at lovely Richmond, many scenic nature spots both on the way to and from Port Arthur, the Port Arthur lavender farm and even stopping for people to buy fresh oysters on our way home. We also had a boat trip at Port Arthur. Scott was knowledgeable, interesting, friendly and good humoured. We had a fun and informative day. Highly recommended.
5A great day out.
Our tour director Jarrod made the trip very enjoyable. He kept us informed about the local landmarks and history and took us to some excellent viewing sites. We had plenty of time at Port Arthur to explore and appreciate the historic buildings and wonderful surroundings. Jarrod picked us up and returned us to our hotel making the outing very smooth. We would highly recommend the tour.
Know before you go
- Pickup
- Pickup is included for everyone.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 20 travellers
- Operated by
- iWander Tasmania
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- May be operated by a multilingual guide
How it compares in Port Arthur
- Its from-price is close to the median of the 11 experiences we list in Port Arthur.
- It is longer than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 6 of 11.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Port Arthur
Port Arthur is a former convict settlement on Tasmania's Tasman Peninsula, with ruined prison buildings among green lawns above a quiet bay.
Port Arthur stands on the Tasman Peninsula, south-east of Hobart, where a penal settlement operated between 1830 and 1877. Sandstone ruins of the penitentiary, a church without a roof, a model prison and officers' cottages stand among lawns and trees beside the bay. The site is part of the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage listing.
Special offers in Port Arthur
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
