One of the most iconic landmark associated with Tasmania was the Port Arthur Historic Site. After…read moreoriginally being sold off after it shutdown down the government has repurchased then renovated some of the historic buildings to recognize Australia's convict history. The parking lot was free and plentiful over three rows plus an overflow lot. The visitor center was modern and contained sit down and casual restaurants, gift shop and the museum. Here they sold all the tickets and guided tours. Every ticket included a cruise around the bay and to the Island of the Dead and full access to the site. The museum itself was small but packed with artifacts, history and profiles of those incarcerated or oversaw the prisoners. A good introduction. Talks were scheduled throughout the day at different buildings and lasted for a few to 20 minutes or so. All except one was well worth catching and all were free. Those definitely helped since we didn't pay for a guided tour. We wandered the ground at our own pace with roughly half restored while the other half just the shells. My recommendations on what to see would be the Commandant's House, Penitentiary, Asylum's Prison, Government Garden and Separate Prison. Tickets were valid for two consecutive days so that added flexibility to our visit since we stayed overnight in the area.

With the assistance of our guide Rob, we unveiled the dark past of the Port Arthur historic site…read morevisiting the site of the mill and tiered prison (Level 1, 2 or 3 convicts) and the horrific separate prison before a ferry to Point Puer and The Isle of the dead rounded out the story of Port Arthur (1830 through to 1870). Robs incredible knowledge base and ability to make Port Arthur come to life and reflect on its impact at the time and since was amazing. His explanation of the conditions that existed in England via industrialization of London, Manchester and Birmingham and the 4 main cogs of control - Religious coercion, Punishment, Separation and classification and industry and training utilised to control the prisoners was particularly enlightening.

What an adorable place!…read more My nickname is 'Puddleduck', so of course on the way back to Hobart from visiting Richmond I had to stop in and visit this winery. And I'm so glad we did! The first thing that welcomes you is a giant sign letting you know you're welcome to 'Reverse BYO' - that is that you bring the food and they'll provide the wine. A great idea and muchly appreciated, as if you're on a budget you'll have more to spend on wines! The setting for this winery can only be described as idyllic - the main building sits on the edge of a dam and has a deck outside. We happened to visit on a perfect day and sat for a while in the sunshine on the deck watching the various water birds. There's a beautiful grassed area with chairs and tables and even a children's playground and a big area for the kids to run around and let off steam. There were a few families enjoying lunch and a few drinks and I love that they cater to families so well. We opted for the $5 wine tasting at the bar - there is also an option for a $15 sit down tasting or a $25 one which includes a cheese platter. All of those costs are deducted if you choose to purchase a bottle. My favourite was the Pinot Noir which smelled and tasted amazing. They also have all these options available as a cider tasting too! The guy who was serving welcomed us enthusiastically when we arrived and told us a bit about tastings etc. He also apologised and told us that the service may be a little slower because he was running the show on his own. This is a family business and his mum had an appointment so was unable to help out that day. I appreciated the forewarning and preemptive apology but it was not needed - the service was great. When we went to pay for our tasting he even offered them for free as he felt like he had not been able to be as attentive to us as he wanted to be! I absolutely loved my time at Puddleduck and will endeavour to visit whenever I am back in Hobart. It's well worth the drive from the city!

I absolutely love Puddleduck to bits. My first visit was their first weekend open with essentially…read morejust a little hut by the pond and the paint still drying - I've been coming back ever since and watching the place grow into the wonderful business it is now. The 'shop' is still a fairly small building by the pond (major extension coming this year) but with a lots of outdoor seating around the water either under umbrellas on the grass or under the marquee. The Puddleduck wines are great (do NOT miss out on trying Bubbleduck) and you can kick back whilst working through the wine list with a cheese platter made up of 'wicked' cheeses produced just down the road. Don't want cheese? No problem! Puddleduck allows 'reverse BYO'. You bring whatever picnic food you want and they supply the wine! Puddleduck makes a great wine tasting stop along the Coal Valley route, but if the weather is good I recommend putting aside an afternoon and relaxing - the whole business is a family affair and it feels like it, with warm friendly service that makes you feel instantly like old friends. Other important notes about Puddleduck; you can meet internationally famous 'wine dog' Basil and his cohorts Polly and Sybil. You can also meet Lucky the duck (and all of his friends if they are feeling sociable and you can adopt your very one vine!

www.willowcourtproject.com…read more If you are driving thru or staying in the Derwent Valley I would defiantly suggest driving or walking thru the Historic Willow Court & Royal Derwent Hospital. Willow Court & Royal Derwent Hospital currently comprises of approx 14 buildings set amongst the Lachlan River. Walking thru the grounds and buildings is like stepping back in time when people with mental illness and disabilities were institutionalised. There is a vast range of architectural designs dating as far back as 1830's to the more modern Wards of around 1960. Walking through or past this historic site gets you thinking if Walls could talk what stories could they tell? There is a public road and footpath that travels through Willow Court and Royal Derwent, so you are able to drive or stroll thru Willow Court and Royal Derwent and see most of the buildings via these options without fear of trespass. These Roads are The Ave, Lower Rd, Ring Rd and Glebe Rd New Norfolk. There are plenty of places to park the car if you would like to stroll through Willow Court. Along the Lachlan River is a scenic walking track that takes you the entire way to Tynwald Park which I recommend. This site is currently in Private & Local Council Ownership. To gain legal access to the Wards you would need to ask permission. The Willow Court & Barracks Committee often holds a Willow Court Open Day, where several of the wards including the Barracks (1830) and Carlton House are open to the Public. The next open day will be during the Annual Derwent Valley Autumn Festival. Some of the Wards in private ownership have been reused and is open to the public. The former Olga Ward is one of the best antique shops that I have had the pleasure of going into Alcheringa has been converted into the Willow Court Motel and the Olive Tree Restaurant, The old Church is now the Patchwork Café which is a quilting shop and café. On the Royal Derwent Site (Ring Rd) is another excellent antique shop Ring Rd Antiques. All these places have websites A lot of people take the risk and gain entry to the wards without seeking permission. If people chose to do so I would recommend that you take care and watch where you step and some of the flooring in the Wards around the oval is unsafe. I would recommend wearing strong shoes and take a torch because some of these Wards are dark and have been badly vandalised or damaged due to age and neglect. Remember it's at your own risk. For more information on all the above please visit my website www.willowcourtproject.com where there is Ward descriptions, video walkthrough's, pictures, maps, real life stories and paranormal stories. Nick Jarvis www.willowcourtproject.com

South of the town of Ross, there's a lot of Convict history here in Tasmania, of which this bridge…read moreacross the River Coal is an impressive and scenic example. A couple other Yelp reviews cover more of this fascinating history. The Bridge is still in use and we were on it on our way to Lunch (meat pie of course) and ice cream. We also took the time to admire the bridge close up on the ground on both sides.

A stop in Richmond is worth it for the Bridge and Ice Cream. Richmond Bridge was built by convict…read morelabor in 1823 and is the oldest stone span bridge still in use in Australia. This engineering marvel represents the hardships of the past convicts and also their craftsmanship and resilience while serving time in some of the worst conditions.

This site was our first introduction to the time when convicts were "exported" from the UK as part…read moreof the punishment for their crimes. Cascades Female Factory was sold off and mostly dismantled after it closed down. The government had to purchase back most of the property and return it to the original state to open the site for historical visits. We took bus 446 (free pending the outcome of the US-Iran war) from near our hotel and it got us there in around 15 minutes. There were two guided tour options offered (1) Notorious Strumpets and Dangerous Girls which was focused on specific women's stories and (2) Convict Women's Tour which provided an overview of life, hardships, conditions and more inside. Each focused on different parts of the factory so it was best to arrive at least 30 minutes early or stay after the tour to see the part of the factory not covered in the guided tour. Good signage were posted throughout the site along with many individual profiles of the women convicts. There wasn't much to see (mostly walls, building outlines and one original home) but the tour guides brought the history and the stories of some of the female convicts to life. Very harsh living conditions, extreme penalties, abuse and heartbreaking separation from the children were conveyed throughout the tour. Well worth a visit if you have time in Hobart. If you have the Port Arthur Historic Site Ticket of Leave (housed the male convicts) then you can visit this site for free.

This UNESCO World heritage site is the best place to connect with a lesser known stories of…read moreAustralia's female convicts. The story is told through bios and artifacts of the displacement, mistreatment and forced migration of convict women & girls, and their contribution to colonisation throughout the history of colonial Australia to the present day. On the journey women were divided into 2 groups depending on their behavior. The class system regulated clothing & jobs of the women while in the factory. The more trustworthy women were employed as cooks, task overseers & hospital attendants. Second class convicts made clothes for the establishment and prepared & mended linen. The crime class was sentenced to the washtub, laundering for the factory, the orphan school and the penitentiary; they also carded and spun wool. All of these tasks were subject to change at the discretion of the Principal Superintendent.

It's a giant tower! Lots of steps to the top and if you…read morecount them correctly you get a 'prize'. New owner is a huge Doctor Who fan and is refurbishing a Dalek to go in the tea rooms! He also sells Doctor Who merch in the shop at pretty good prices.

When I planned to do this adventure cruise with my wife I was in dilemma about which touring…read morecompany to choose but a simple call to Kevin from this company sorted it all for us. I chose the full day tour from Hobart including Tasman island adventure cruise and Port Arthur historic site. You are picked up in a small tour bus from Hobart and taken to their booking office in Eaglehawk Neck, Arthur Hwy. Here you have to make your payment for the cruise, they have a deal running at the moment where buying of 1 full trip ticket will get you the second ticket at 50%. You can have your breakfast here (I suggest otherwise if you have the tendency to throw up on boats). You are provided with wet suits which is a life saviour if the sea get rough and some ginger root tablets to help your stomach adjust to the waves. You are joined with the rest of the group who decided to drive their own from Hobart and taken on a bigger bus to the jetty. Here you meet skipper Craig who is just great behind the wheel. You make your way to as the website suggests "NEWEST and ULTIMATE 4WD of the SEA". This baby can surprise you at times with the power of its Yamaha engines. The 3hr cruise is the best experience if you are not a frequent one on the sea. I had an amazing time of my life on that cruise and we even spotted a humpback whale. If not anything you will surely see some seals who are seen often on the coastline. The amazing features made from dolerite and sea stacks such as candlestick, the totem pole and cathedral rock is a treat to the eyes and added to that the journey into carved caves will stay in memories fora long time. After the cruise you are back to the blue seal cafe where your pre-booked lunch is served. Kevin had taken special care to get our meal specially prepared by his chef as we are vegetarians and had indicated this to him during the time of booking. After that we'll deserved lunch you are dropped off at the Port Arthur historic site where you can look around and enjoy the scenic beauty and history associated with this site. There is an entry fee to this site which your covered in your booking. You are the collected from there for a trip back to your accommodation. All in all this is a great package, Kevin, Roshan and the rest of the staff are just a great bunch of guys and this trip will be in the list of my most memorable adventure trips ever....