Port Arthur
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Port Arthur holds great historical significance
within the history of Tasmania.
In 1830 Port Arthur started out as a prison base for convicts
in Tasmania. The 100m wide entrance to the Tasman
Peninsula, at Eaglehawk Neck, was guarded by dogs
and rumours spread that the seas were infested by sharks.
This obviously made Port Arthur an ideal location for a
prison. |
The Prison continued to operate until 1877. The regime of the prison was harsh both physically and mentally. Mass graves, for those inmates that died in prison, exist on the 'Isle of the Dead'. More recently, in April 1996, tragedy struck Port Arthur when
35 people were killed by a gunman right in the heart of this picturesque
historical site.
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Port Arthur also offers several major
industries, including brick production, coal mining, shipbuilding,
shoemaking, nail production and timber milling. This is
accompanied by beautiful buildings, statues, and museums,
which are all very informative and interesting places
to visit.
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You can also visit the touching Isle
of the Dead, on a cruise of the harbour.
There are a few places to stay in Port
Arthur including motel
style accommodation, with many of the accommodation places
and local pubs serving food. Port Arthur is a place which
you should definitely visit, as it has such a strong atmosphere
and feel to the area.
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Popular Tasmania Travel Destinations
PLEASE NOTE: The Tasmania travel destinations outlined above are only a small selection from the tens of thousands of Australian travel information pages available on Australian Explorer. A comprehensive list of destinations for Tasmania Holidays can be found on the main Tasmania Holidays location guide.
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