Australia 2009/10
All images copyright Keblawben 2009/10
Australia 2009/10
All images copyright Keblawben 2009/10
We have pre-booked a nice cruise around the island. The weather is 'grim' ...black clouds, rain and blowing. Looks like we'll have to sit inside.
 |  ..errrr 'why do I need to put this on?' |
 Our skipper ...Damo |  Nice day for a boat ride...not! |
 so who's idea was this? |  Kairen is of course scared of boats |
 Our three and a half hour tour was called 'Explore the Edge'...we should have picked up something from the title |  Tasman Arch from the sea |
 Fortescue Bay |  some mad sea canoeists |
 |  so where's the inside seat? |
 The Candlestick |  what have we spotted? |
 Australian and New Zealand fur seals |  |
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 |  The Totem Pole at Cape Hauy |
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 Wow! we spot four hump back whales in total...very close |  |
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 |  more fur seals |
 |  so what part of boat rides are you scared of? |
 Our yellow boat (on a calmer day). It's described as the '4x4 of the sea'. It had been a great adventure. To be fair Noel and Neal at Swansea had warned us to wear every piece of clothing we had, as even on a calm day it's cold. We had seen whales close up, dolphins and seals. The coast is stunning and we'd been VERY close to it! |  Echidna are around our lodge |
Port Arthur was a notorious penal settlement between 1830 and 1877 during which time over 10 000 prisoners spent time here.
There are many reminders of what life was like in the eighteenth century, which is exemplified at Port Arthur Historic Site. There's a combination of ruined and well preserved properties set in extensive and attractive grounds.
 It's a whole day's visit to the historic site, the entrance to which is just by the gate to our lodge. We've also booked an evening 'Ghost Tour' so it's going to be a long day. |  Thankfully the foul weather from the day before has gone |
 |  It's Monday so we should have the place to ourselves |
 |  This is one of the three cruise ships that disembarked around 6,000 passengers into the site...so much for being alone! |
 The site is around 100 hectares so the 'extra' visitors soon dissipated. This the Penitentiary |  |
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 Despite its reputation as a pioneering institution for the new, enlightened view of imprisonment, Port Arthur was still in reality as harsh and brutal as other penal settlements. Some critics might even suggest that its use of psychological punishment, compounded with no hope of escape, made it one of the worst |  The Guard Tower |
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 The Commandants House |  |
 The Hospital Some tales suggest that prisoners committed murder (of each other - an offence punishable by death) just to escape the desolation of life at the camp |  William Smith O'Brian's house. Originally a stable but built to house Port Arthur's most famous political prisoner. O'Brian was a revolutionary fighting for Ireland's independence from Britain |
 |  Tourism started up almost as soon as the last convicts had left, supplying the new residents with a source of income, part of it undoubtedly due to its unsavoury past, and the ghost stories that accompany it. It was renamed Carnarvon, but in 1927 tourism had grown to the point where the area's name was reverted to Port Arthur. |
 |  The Island of the Dead was the destination for all who died inside the prison camps. Of the 1646 graves recorded to exist there, only 180, those of prison staff and military personnel, are marked. |
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 |  The Separate Prison (sometimes known as The Model Prison) was completed in 1853 and extended in 1855. The 80 cell prison was built in the shape of a cross with radial exercise yards around a central hall and chapel. It signalled a shift from physical punishment to psychological punishment. |
 A cell in the Model Prison |  St David's Church |
 This is one of the buildings constructed by prisoners. It was one of Australia's first non-denominational churches, built in a gothic style. |  Attendance of the weekly Sunday service was compulsory for the prison population. |
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 On 28 April 1996, Martin Bryant went on a killing spree at Port Arthur, murdering 35 people and wounding 21 more before being captured by Special Operatives Police. This led to a national ban on semi-automatic shotguns and rifles. However, there was never a trial or coronial inquest. |  A positive from the event was that it forged a relationship between the town and Dunblane, in Scotland which suffered a similar incident earlier that year. |
 A long and harrowing description of the days events can be found here. The staff on the site prefer not to speak of the day and a small leaflet explains the reasons. |  Spot the convict? |
 We returned that evening for a Ghost Tour |  The site was really spooky as the light faded |
 |  Our only light for the tour consisted of two candles and a hurricane lamp. |
 |  The Model Prison wasn't a nice place by daylight. By candlelight it was VERY scary! Our guide didn't help by re-telling stories of ghost sightings, even quite recent ones. We survived and thoroughly enjoyed the tour. |
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