Port Arthur - What a history!

Although these trips are fun and very informative, the schedule can be grueling. Today's wake-up call at 3AM was painful, especially after celebrating at the Opal Gala last night. We left Adelaide for Hobart on a 6am flight with a change in Melbourne. Each segment was less than 1 hour, but Qantas served a delicious breakfast of cereal, raisin scone, juice and coffee on each flight. American carriers take heed!

Flying over the Bass Strait between southern Australia and Tasmania, we landed in Hobart, the state's largest city (about 200,000) at 10am local time. Our luck held as we were greeted by a bright, sunny day, although a bit chilly at 7C (about 58F). Our group consists of 10 Aussie Specialists from all over the US and Canada. We were met by Cheryl, our guide for the week, and Bob, our trusty driver.

No time was wasted as we loaded the suitcases into the van and headed south through beautiful countryside to Port Arthur. After a site inspection of a property at Stewart Bay, we were treated to a delicious lunch of homemade soup and sandwiches.
Refreshed,we continued on to Port Arthur to tour the Port Arthur Historic Site where the infamous penal colony was established in 1830 as a punishment facility for repeat offenders from all the Australian colonies. “Hellish Reform” was instituted by the British in an attempt to transform these men, women and children into law-abiding citizens. When flogging was abolished due to the influence of Quakers, an even worse punishment of extreme solitary confinement was instituted leading to the building of a mental assylum for these prisoners who became insane from this punishment. The setting for the prison is an incredibly beautiful pastoral setting -- so peaceful that it was hard to believe the pain and suffering that took place here from 1830 to 1877.

Following the tour of the penal colony buildings, we boarded a boat for a cruise around the bay and saw other small islands where prisoners had been buried and a facility that was actually the first juvenile prison, built to house young criminals.

I had always heard that Tasmania was one of the most beautiful areas of Australia, but the pastoral beauty is exceeding my expectations. Accommodations, while simpler than in other areas in Australia, remind us of life in the US in the 50's, but the breathtaking settings more than compensate for the lack of 4* facilities. The downside of this pastoral life is that the only internet access at the Fox and Hound Inn where we're staying is dial-up modem, not compatible with modern laptops. Hopefully, I can get this posting out tomorrow from Hobart will be a cruise of the Tasmanian Peninsula and tha Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park.
Linda

W