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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Port Arthur
Give Port Arthur one full day for the historic site and sleep one night on the peninsula, or run it as a 10-hour day trip from Hobart; two nights only if you add the Tasman cruise and a walk.
Port Arthur is a 40-hectare former convict settlement and one of the eleven Australian Convict Sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list, about 100 km south-east of Hobart. The site alone takes 4–6 hours; the peninsula around it holds the Tasman Island cruise, the Tessellated Pavement and the national park. Most travellers come for a day from Hobart, but one night here removes the 1.5-hour drive back in the dark.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (long daylight, milder days); Dec–Feb is warmest but busiest
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (cold, wet, short days; some tours run reduced schedules)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$150–230 excl. bed · High A$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From a mobile 112 · Port Arthur Historic Site 1800 659 101
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$5–7 |
| Café sandwich or light meal | A$12–22 |
| Restaurant main | A$28–45 |
| Beer in a bar / bottle-shop six-pack | A$9–14 / A$18–25 |
| Fuel, unleaded | A$1.80–2.10 per litre (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$15–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HBA · Hobart Airport
- About 1 h 15 min by car via the Tasman and Arthur highways; no public bus to Port Arthur from the airport.
Typical fares
- Hobart → Port Arthur by car
- about 100 km (62 mi), 1.5 h, fuel roughly A$15–25 each way (check)about 62 mi (100 km), 1.5 h, fuel roughly A$15–25 each way (check)
- Historic site entry, adult
- about A$50, includes the 30-min harbour ferry (check)
- Tasman Island cruise
- about A$175 per adult, 3 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No public transport on the peninsula: you need a car, a tour bus or a taxi. The historic site itself is walked, with a free courtesy buggy for limited mobility and a 30-minute harbour ferry included in entry. Distances between the site, Eaglehawk Neck and Nubeena are 10–25 km (6.2–16 mi) on the Arthur Highway.No public transport on the peninsula: you need a car, a tour bus or a taxi. The historic site itself is walked, with a free courtesy buggy for limited mobility and a 30-minute harbour ferry included in entry. Distances between the site, Eaglehawk Neck and Nubeena are 6.2–16 mi (10–25 km) on the Arthur Highway.
See and do
Known for
- Port Arthur Historic Site (UNESCO Australian Convict Sites)
- Penitentiary and Separate Prison ruins
- Isle of the Dead cemetery tours
- Tasman Island wilderness cruise
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Eaglehawk Neck and the Tessellated Pavement | Drive north on the Arthur Highway, about 15 min | About 30 min |
| Tasman Island cruise | Departs from the Port Arthur area, 3-hour boat trip | Half a day |
| Nubeena | Drive south-west on the B37, about 20 min | About 40 min |
| Taranna | Drive north on the Arthur Highway, about 10 min | About 20 min |
| Hobart | Drive the A9 and A3 via Sorell, about 100 km (62 mi)Drive the A9 and A3 via Sorell, about 62 mi (100 km) | 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Port Arthur township (Safety Cove Rd and Arthur Hwy)
- Closest beds to the historic site gate, 2–5 min drive; motels, villas and a handful of self-contained cottages.
- Eaglehawk Neck and Taranna
- 15–25 min north on the Arthur Highway; cheaper and closer to the Tessellated Pavement and the national park.
- Nubeena
- About 20 min south-west; small town with a shop and basic lodgings, useful if Port Arthur itself is full.
- Hobart
- Day-trip base, 1.5 h each way; only sensible if you leave by 07:30 and accept a long day.Day-trip base, 1.5 h each way; only sensible if you leave by 7:30 AM and accept a long day.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me | Excuse meik-SKYOOZ mee |
| Thank you | Thanksthanks |
| How much is it? | How much is it?how much is it |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card?can I pay by card |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet?where is the toilet |
| Is it far? | Is it far?is it far |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Weather changes fast: 10–15 °C is normal even in summer, so bring a rain shell and layers.
- Book the Isle of the Dead, Point Puer and Ghost Tours ahead; they sell out in peak season and cannot be self-guided.
- The 1996 massacre memorial is on site: visitors are asked not to raise the subject with locals.
- Fuel and food are limited on the peninsula after about 20:00; fill up in Sorell.
- Wildlife on the road at dusk and dawn: drive slowly between Eaglehawk Neck and Port Arthur.
The peninsula is quiet and safe; the real risks are fast-changing weather, wildlife on the highway at dusk and unlit rural roads. The historic site is a respectful memorial as well as a museum.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Port Arthur yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Port Arthur Historic Site (UNESCO Australian Convict Sites)
- Penitentiary and Separate Prison ruins
- Isle of the Dead cemetery tours
- Tasman Island wilderness cruise
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tourism Tasmania: www.discovertasmania.com.au/
- Wikivoyage: Port Arthur (Tasmania), revision 5216360 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5216360
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Port Arthur
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From a mobile112
- Port Arthur Historic Site1800 659 101
No consulates on the peninsula; embassies and consulates-general are in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. US citizens: US Consulate General Melbourne (check the address).
English is the only language you need here.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/port-arthur-tasmania). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.