Port Arthur Historic Site is one of the 11 Australian convict sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It tells the story of the forced migration of convicts by the British Empire.

Day 9, Saturday, September 14: Port Arthur

The path from our cabin in Stewarts Bay led to Port Arthur in a leisurely 20-minute walk. It was only 6 degrees Celsius (42 degrees Fahrenheit) and there was light rain.

Even before we reached the visitor center to buy our entrance tickets, we already saw some parts of this infamous site.

Port Arthur was one of Australia’s well-preserved “inescapable prisons” where the inmates were punished not only physically but also emotionally and psychologically. But it was also home to military and civilian officers and their families.

As we walked around the expansive grounds, we knew that we had not enough time to see the more than 30 buildings, including ruins and restored house museums. But we tried our best to see as much as we could.

After buying our tickets at the Visitor Centre, we went on a 20-minute harbor cruise, which took us around the Point Puer Boy’s Prison and the Isle of the Dead. The prerecorded commentary gave us lots of information.

Walking around the site, we were quite cold. So, some hot soup for lunch was in order in the Visitor Centre Café, close to the fireplace.

We just reached our car by 2 pm to continue our journey toward Coles Bay, when the hail storm hit.

We were hoping that the next leg of the trip would treat us to better weather.