Port Arthur Historic Site provided a great understanding of Convict history. We paid additional money to have a tour which was a great experience. Would not do the cruise again (included in admission price) if I had my time again.

Visiting this Unesco site is quite the experience . Very confronting how the prisoners were treated .. We prepaid for a 'Premium Tour ' Don't waste your money on this folks . Felt very rushed , and while informative in certain areas , questions were not encouraged , and if you did ask , it was met with a very brief (as we kept walking !) uninformative response . We arrived quite early and wandered the site ourselves .. really this is all that is necessary . Download the link for the audio tour , collect the map from the gallery and do it yourself . Save your money Everything else ? Fabulous !

The Port Arthur Historic Site itself is visually stunning. We went on a bright winter's day, and I was impressed mainly by the well-kept grounds and garden. The tour was okay but rather dry and boring. Our guide was not great and there really is not much to do other than walk around. The food in the cafe was the worst I have ever eaten. There was a lot of staff in the cafe, but it took forever to get through the queue and when we did, we wished we hadn't because the food was so awful and expensive. The management need to go to the Fremantle Jail to see how to operate.

We were really looking forward to this historic place, but to be completely honest, we did the longest and most expensive tour that ruined this experience for us. We never had a guide this terrible. He was rude and didn’t really took the time to show us around but shared a lotttttt of information. It went a bit in a haste so it was hard to follow sometimes. We heard several people in the group complaining. We can’t recommend the tour. The complex is big so therefore a good guide can make a huge difference. We did learn a lot from the museum, very interesting. And the site is very clean and well maintained.

Fantastic for people interested in history. Extremely well organised, throughout the whole experience. From entry, where the staff were helpful and friendly to the introductory tour (well worth it), everything was well done. The place itself had so much to see over a vast area; from the prison to various houses etc. Did the tour of the Island of the Dead; a must do when you are there. Amazing place to visit. Can't go to Tasmania and not visit Port Arthur!

Pt Arthur is definitely worth the visit. It's a nice drive down from Hobart and there are stops along the way to view sights in the Tasman National Park. There are options at the historic site to join guided tours or you can make your way around the site at your own pace. Nice views and a cruise around the harbour included

The visit was exceptional and we found it most informative. Went into the gallery and saw the map that identifies all the penal settlements all over the world. EXCEPT ……where was the Moreton Bay penal settlement ? (in Queensland) it was a vey brutal settlement and would have at least been worth a mention on a map at least.

Worth a visit. Can be a very emotional day out. Great tour guide who made us think of who we were acting as if we were one of the convicts, why were we there what crime did we do etc. Beautiful grounds. Stunning forest surrounds.

This is a large open air site which means that visitors must be prepared for all weathers. On the first of our two days, the heat was relentless and hats and water were needed. On the second day there was early morning rain but it was soon possible to discard the waterproofs. All of the individual buildings are well identified and many have their own descriptive panels. The harshness of the site in the transportation era is apparent everywhere. At many of the key points there are guides to provide additional information for visitors. The visitor centre has a reasonably priced cafe and shop along with a number of walled exhibits about the site. There is a harbour cruise included in the admission price. At certain times of the day this can be combined with a tour of the Isle of the Dead which relates the sad circumstances of many of those buried there. We found this tour to be well worthwhile and would recommend it.

Previous visit was 1977 so decided to visit again. Glad we did. We found our time at Port Arthur historic site to be most informative and moving. It provided an insight into the harshness of the time for the convicts, but also reminded us of those lost back in 1996, a day that impacted our nation in so many ways. (The change in gun laws that resulted from this was a most positive outcome.) Talks at various points were useful. Special thanks to Tom J, the people mover driver, who kept rescuing us and going above and beyond to help us out!

A beautiful place considering the atrocities that occurred there. Very friendly and knowledgeable guides available to inform and entertain. You’re also able to listen to a recorded explanation from a guide that has worked there over 30 years and explains in detail all the buildings and history. The ghost tour was fun but not as good as it used to be. Would love to hear more stories of the people there and not as many stories of encounters that people have had. Sad we couldn’t go to the surgeon’s house.

I think people expect this place to be like sovereign hill in Victoria(which it is not) . It offers a snapshot of what the convicts and pioneers were up against in the era very accurately. You’ve gotta want to appreciate the history of it. As for paying homage to the victims of the terrible events in 1996, I honestly think they missed something , I wanted to read more about the victims , learn who they were etc. the front kiosk is impressive and very modern you can get good food there and the gift shop is extensive aswell. It cost us (a family of 5 - 2 adults 3 kids under 14) $115 for entry and a quick lap on a boat of death island. Fair price in my eyes as the ammenities are clean and the grounds well kept.

Get here early for two reasons - one, to get a car park cause you could be parking a distance away if arriving late. But two, this place needs a full day to really appreciate and understand the history of this place. It is done very well and because the place is quite large and spread out over a large property you don’t feel like there are many people around yet there is especially during peak season. The visitor centre is large and has a large ticketing area, large cafe, gift shop, smallish exhibit and all other normal facilities. The site itself has many buildings, many of which you can go in. There is a massive amount of information on display so you will really walk away from your time spent having a good understanding of what Port Arthur was about, not just about the convicts but those who lived there, worked there and those who were post-convict prison time. Spend the extra money also to go out to the Island of the Dead. It is short tour but again gives you a fascinating insight into the lives out there. Well done Mark who was our tour guide on the island. Must see place here in Tasmania and very educational

Exploring the Port Arthur historical site is essential when in the area! The insightful guided talks/tours, available throughout the day, offer a deeper understanding of the historical events at the settlement. There is a considerable amount of walking involved, I would advise to wear suitable shoes and allocate ample time to fully experience everything the site has to offer.

Visited Port Arthur in dec and the drive up was beautiful and there’s a few stops on the way you can eat and drink and take photos at. The Museum was busy but you still had plenty of room to get around. Massive cafe on site too and a shop full of gifts. The site itself is beautiful and looked after very well. Did the little boat cruise too which was fun and deffo recommend the scallop pie. Went to the little market there and even bought a bottle of gin. I would recommend getting on one of the tours here with a guide and learn a bit more of the history behind this place.