In the early 1830s, Britain settled Port Arthur as a penal settlement. The convicts were brought to Port Arthur and then put to work building facilities on the site, working in a nearby coal mine or logging timber. The fruits of convict labor are still seen today in the Port Arthur Historical Site. Port Arthur was established on the Tasman Peninsula because of the land’s natural separation from other settled areas as well as the water resources. Despite being known for trying more modern approaches to punishment (for the time), the prison facilities were known to be dark and harsh. Many of the prisoners were deemed the worst of the worst, and were treated as such.
Today the settlement of Port Arthur is open for visitors and tours are offered to showcase the many building constructed using convict labor as well as the Island of the Dead. This island is the final resting place of convicts who died whilst in prison, but most of the graves are unmarked. Night tours of the facility are also available, which are popular among those who enjoy the tales of haunted cells and mysterious nocturnal activities at the prison.
