Travelogue Tasmania Day 4 - Port Arthur



 

 

Port Arthur is not a happy place, and in my mind its original dark history had somehow been overshadowed by its more recent tragic one.  So, in a nutshell, I wasn't really sure what to expect here, or how the kids would react to it either.

 

I can honestly say, for me, this was the highlight of our time in Tasmania.  You cannot help but be touched by what you see here.  The ruined buildings speak to you in a way that I didn't anticipate.  And while there is a beautiful and haunting memorial to that dreadful day almost 20 years ago, that is not what Port Arthur is about.  It is about the lives of the 12,500 convicts (some as young as 9) who served hard, and often, brutal time here.