Port Arthur Historic Site [official]
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
The Port Arthur Historic Site offers a compelling glimpse into Australia's convict past, focusing on the penal settlement, convict labour, and the profound influence on the nation's development and colonial life. As a place or secondary-punishment, Port Arthur was specifically designed as a prison for re-offending male convicts.
Additional tours can be selected to be included in your ticket:
The 45 min Essentials Tour is our most accessible guided tour providing the essential history and stories of Port Arthur.
The 90 min Premium Tour delves deeper into the stories behind our iconic buildings and their fascinating past on this small group guided walk.
For the 40 min Isle of the Dead tour, step off the harbour cruise for a guided walking tour around the final resting place for over 1,000 convicts, soldiers, and free settlers.
On the 60 min Escapes tour, hear tales of the desperate convicts,
determined to escape.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Port Arthur Historic Site
The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Port Arthur Historic Site, located 90 minutes’ drive southeast of Hobart, brings Australia’s early convict history to life. The Port Arthur Historic Site covers 100 acres of gardens and grounds, with more than 30 historic buildings and ruins to explore. All entry passes are valid for two consecutive days and include a harbour cruise, a self-guided audio experience and complimentary site talks throughout the day.
What‘s Included
Tours, as selected in options
Self-guided audio experience
Map of the site
Access to the World Heritage Site, gardens, historic buildings, and ruins for 2 consecutive days
20-minute harbour cruise
Talks by expert guides, at iconic buildings, throughout the day
Options
Premium + Isle of the Dead
Tour at 12, Cruise/Tour at 3pm: Pair your Premium Tour at 12pm with the Isle of the Dead tour attached to the cruise at 3pm. See listing for details.
The Essentials (afternoon)
Tour at 12:30, Cruise at 2:20: Grab the basics with the Port Arthur Essentials Tour at 12:30pm, with a harbour cruise at 2:20pm. See listing for details.
General Admission (morning)
Cruise at 11am: Visit in the morning with a harbour cruise at 11am.
Isle of the Dead
Cruise/Tour at 1pm: Your harbour cruise at 1pm will stop at the Isle of the Dead for your tour of the island cemetery. See listing for details.
Escape from Port Arthur
Tour at 11am, Cruise at 1pm: Meet cunning characters on the Escape From Port Arthur tour at 11am, with a harbour cruise at 1pm. See listing for details.
General Admission (afternoon)
Cruise at 3:40pm: Visit in the afternoon with a harbour cruise at 3:40pm.
The Premium Tour
Tour at 1:30, Cruise at 3:40: Delve deeper with The Port Arthur Premium Tour at 1:30pm, with a harbour cruise at 3:40pm. See listing for details.
Premium + Escape
Tours 12pm + 3pm, Cruise 2:20: Pair your Premium Tour at 12pm with tales of Escapes at 3pm, and harbour cruise at 2:20pm. See listing for details.
The Essentials (morning)
Tour at 10:30, Cruise at 12:20: Grab the basics with the Port Arthur Essentials Tour at 10:30am, with a harbour cruise at 12:20pm. See listing for details.
Reviews
278 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Absolutely brilliant. So...
Matt H,,Dec 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Absolutely brilliant. So much history. Plan at a minimum for a full 1/2 - 3/4 day and try to include the Isle of the Dead boat cruise. Can even sneak in a cheeky beer on the boat.
Port Arthur. A great piece of Australian history.
partnersintrav,,Nov 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Port Arthur for any visitor to Tasmania is a must. To understand the history of this amazing island and counrty you first need to understand Port Arthur. We opted for a self guided tour but we had no regrets.
Great day exploring history
F9454URrobynr,,Nov 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very interesting day at Port Arthur. Helped greatly by the shuttle cart that circles the area helping those whose legs arent as good as they would like. The driver was a very friendly helpful young man. The displays were very good and the guides informative.
Worth a Visit
TS696,,Nov 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We decided to go around 2pm and we almost had the park to ourselves. Lots of outstanding historic buildings. Great place to walk around. Senior discount was available which saved $14AU. We did not take the boat trip because it was very very windy.
Learn some history .....
JACQUELINe L,,Nov 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00Learn some history .. very big place for us to explored .many nice view to.take photo .we enjoy the walking .
The Historic Site is interesting
Cindy w,,Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00If you are on a cruise ship, do not purchase the tickets as they come with the cruise. The only thing extra was the harbor cruise, which isn't necessary as you have to take a tender from the boat. Now, with that said, the visit to the historic site was interesting.
Must do historic site
Curiosity318623,,Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very interesting site with lots of history that feels like a must do in Tasmania. The site is very interesting and well cared for. We did the essentials tour to start off with (+ 10 $) which was a good introduction with a friendly guide, would recommend. The most interesting parts are the buildings directly related to convicts (penitentiary, separate prison, guard tower, commandant's house). There are a lot of other buildings but of less interest and can be skipped. We had the whole day there (7 hours) which was a bit more time than needed, but you should set sside minimum 3-4 hours to get around and enjoy the whole grounds. The boat tour is ok but more as a nice activity and probably most interesting if getting off the small island (extra tour). So if shorth on time the boat could be left out in my opinion, but do it if you have time.
Fantastic History
Julie M,,Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Fantastic history, really enjoyed our day. All the stag there were very informative with information. Wear good walking shoes
Large site detailing convict prison and insane asylum
Lovetotravel7559,,Oct 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00We were here on a very windy day which wasn’t pleasant as most of the tour is outside. Because we didn’t have a lot of time we did not take advantage of the guided tours or the audio guide. I’m sure that it would be interesting.
Port Arthur never fails to impress on all there is to see
William L,,Oct 17, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The history the guides all are very informative And helpful The ghost tour was also a great experience
Related Experiences
Operated by Port Arthur Historic Sites