Port Arthur has had a very grim, & horrific, history. Founded as an extremely brutal penal colony, for the worst of the worst convicts, where many of them were forbidden any kind of contact or interaction with other human beings. It is also the site of the worst massacre in Australia's modern history. It is a heritage site.

Here are two URLs which will give you a far better indicator of its history than I can. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] & [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

We called in here on Helsal II Of Our Town, which Bruiser had sailed on in the Sydney to Hobart ocean yacht race of 1981. It was just an overnight stop on our way to Triabunna for the fun yacht race called the Crayfish Derby, that many race yachts participated in, on the more relaxed, return trip to Sydney. Despite its grim history, it is a very pretty, & peaceful, place. These are film images which have degraded, somewhat, over the years in an album.

Some more of the ruins of the prison. Bushfires caused this.

Each brick was handmade my the convicts as part of their hard labour sentences.

Looking down onto the inlet of Port Arthur. The yacht we were on is the white one on the right. There are also local crayfishing boat, with the orange buoys, moored there.

The ruins of the large church. There was a film screening about the history of the penal colony but I had to leave, as it screened in one of the old buildings & the dust mites, etc, got to me. :(

The yacht we were on.

The island in the front, with the line of trees. is the Isle of the Dead used as the burial site for convicts & free settlers such as the soldiers, officials & their families. The convicts' graves are unmarked.

I so enjoyed that it was so interesting

Your yacht was really cool hey


Thank you Joy

Thanks Dawn. Shame the images were so discoloured with all the blue. Ah well, they are old, I guess.

Joy! I find the aging old photos have adds a certain charm that new photos lack.!

More Please