Port Arthur Historic Site tour from Hobart: 4 stops in a day

Walk the cliffs, explore the penal colony, and cross Tasmania's oldest bridge

A full-day tour from Hobart visiting Port Arthur Historic Site (a World Heritage penal colony) with stops at Tasman National Park, Port Arthur Lavender farm and Richmond Village. Includes entry fees, a harbour cruise around the Isle of the Dead, and a professional guide who shares the area's convict history and landscape stories. The Waterfall Bay cliff-top walk is a 2 km easy track taking 45–60 minutes. You'll have around 3 hours to explore Port Arthur's main penitentiary, solitary cells and historic buildings. Minimum age is 8 years and moderate fitness is needed for the walking sections.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Port Arthur4h · entry included
2. Richmond Village45m

Explore Tasman Peninsula and Historic Sites

• Depart early from Hobart
• View Pirates Bay Lookout
• Pass Eaglehawk Neck and The Dogline
• Walk Waterfall Bay Cliff Top Track
• Visit Tasman Arch and Devil’s Kitchen
• Explore Port Arthur Lavender Farm
• Enjoy morning tea at lavender café
• Tour Port Arthur Historic Site
• Return via Richmond Village
• Walk Richmond’s historic streets
• See Australia’s oldest convict bridge
• Return to Hobart

The experience

The day starts early from Hobart and heads straight to the Tasman Peninsula, an area shaped by convict history and dramatic geology. You'll stop at Pirates Bay Lookout for panoramic views, then pass through Eaglehawk Neck and "The Dogline": a narrow strip of land where your guide shares the stories behind these landmarks. The Waterfall Bay Cliff Top Walk follows a 2 km track along the cliff edge, undulating but graded as easy. It ends at the rock formations of Tasman Arch and Devil's Kitchen. This walk takes 45–60 minutes and is the physical core of the day.

Port Arthur Lavender comes next, a working farm with a distillery and café serving lavender-inspired foods and drinks: a natural pause for morning tea before the main site. The visit to Port Arthur Historic Site itself runs about 3 hours. Your entry includes a complimentary harbour cruise around the Isle of the Dead, access to "The Port Arthur Experience" podcast for context, and expert guide talks throughout the day. You can move at your own pace through the penitentiary, solitary confinement cells and the open-air museum buildings, absorbing the isolation and severity of Australia's early convict system.

On the return to Hobart (arriving around 6pm), the tour stops in Richmond Village, a historic township where you can walk across Australia's oldest bridge still in use, a convict-built sandstone structure, and browse the local shops. The whole day covers around 10.5 hours, with small groups and a live English-speaking guide throughout.

What’s included

• Port Arthur Historic Site entrance and harbour cruise around the Isle of the Dead.
• Tasman National Park access.
• professional guide with interpretation throughout the day.
• small group size.
• opportunity to purchase food and drinks at Port Arthur Lavender café and at Port Arthur Historic Site.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to FridayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (8 to 90 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupUp to 17

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effort

Operated by Tours Tasmania

Is this one for you?The live English-speaking guide shares the convict history and landscape stories as you move through each stop, so you follow the narrative without needing to read panels or download an app. The interpretation happens as you walk.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Waterfall Bay Cliff Top Walk like, and how long does it take?

The Waterfall Bay track is a 2 km walk along Tasmania's cliff tops, graded as easy but undulating, taking 45–60 minutes. It ends at the rock formations of Tasman Arch and Devil's Kitchen and is one of Tasmania's "Great Short Walks".

How much time do I get to explore Port Arthur Historic Site itself?

You have around 3 hours at Port Arthur, which gives you time to walk through the main penitentiary, see the solitary confinement cells and visit the other historic buildings in the open-air museum at your own pace.

What does the Port Arthur entry fee include?

Entry includes a complimentary harbour cruise around the Isle of the Dead, access to "The Port Arthur Experience" podcast that introduces the site's history, and complimentary talks led by Port Arthur's expert guides throughout the day.

Can I buy food and drinks during the tour?

Yes. You can purchase food and drinks at Port Arthur Lavender's café (which serves lavender-inspired foods and fresh Tasmanian produce) and at Port Arthur Historic Site itself.

What is Richmond Village, and how long do we stop there?

Richmond Village is a historic township you visit on the return to Hobart in the late afternoon. You have time to walk the streets, cross Australia's oldest bridge still in use (a convict-built sandstone structure), and visit local shops like the Lolly Shop and Chocolatier.

What fitness level do I need for this tour?

You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The tour is active with walking involved, including the 2 km Waterfall Bay cliff-top walk. The minimum age is 8 years. A suitable level of general health and fitness is essential.