Port Arthur, Tasmanian Devils and Richmond Day Tour from Hobart

Tasman Arch and the Devils Kitchen

The Tasman Peninsula is joined to the rest of Tasmania by Eaglehawk Neck, a strip of land so narrow that guards once kept a line of chained dogs across it to stop convicts escaping. Beyond it lies Tasman National Park, where the Southern Ocean has carved some of the most dramatic sea cliffs in Australia. Your first stops are lookouts over this coast, including views across Pirates Bay.

Tasman Arch is a huge natural bridge of rock, the remains of a sea cave whose roof partly collapsed, leaving an arch high above the surging water. A short walk away, the Devils Kitchen is a deep, narrow cleft where waves crash and boil between vertical walls. Both are reached by short, easy paths of about ten minutes each, and they are among the most photographed sights on any Port Arthur day trip from Hobart.

Waterfall Bay clifftop walk

Waterfall Bay is named after the stream that tumbles straight off the cliffs into the sea after rain. From the lookout you see the curved bay framed by dolerite columns and forest, and on clear days the view runs far down the coast. The Waterfall Bay track is listed among the great short walks of Tasmania, and on this tour you hike part of it for about 45 minutes.

The path follows the cliff edge through coastal eucalyptus and heath, with fenced lookouts at the best viewpoints. It is a moderate walk with some uneven ground, which is why the tour asks for reasonable fitness and good mobility. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring a jacket, as the wind off the Southern Ocean can be cold even in summer. Sea eagles and albatrosses are sometimes seen gliding along the cliffs.

Tasmanian Devil Unzoo

The Tasmanian devil is the largest surviving carnivorous marsupial in the world and is found in the wild only in Tasmania. It is small, black and noisy, with one of the strongest bites for its size of any animal. Since the 1990s a contagious facial tumour disease has badly reduced wild numbers, and wildlife parks on the peninsula help protect healthy populations.

At the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo in Taranna you spend about 75 minutes watching the devils in a lively feeding session, while keepers explain their behaviour and the efforts to save them. You can also hand-feed wallabies and attend the Birds of the Bush presentation with native birds. The park is designed to feel open rather than caged, letting you see the animals in natural bush surroundings.

Port Arthur Historic Site

Port Arthur was founded in 1830 as a timber station and grew into the most important penal settlement in the colony, holding convicts sent from Britain and repeat offenders from elsewhere in Australia until it closed in 1877. Today it is one of the best-preserved convict sites in the world and part of the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage listing. Dozens of buildings, ruins and gardens stand on its green lawns beside a quiet harbour.

The great sandstone Penitentiary, first built as a flour mill and granary, is the image everyone knows. You can also see the Separate Prison, designed to reform prisoners through silence and isolation, the ruined church, the hospital and the houses of officials. Your Port Arthur tickets include site talks, and the tour gives you about two and a quarter hours here. There are cafes on site for lunch, or bring your own food.

Harbour cruise and the Isle of the Dead

Included in your visit is a short harbour cruise on Mason Cove and the wider bay, which shows Port Arthur from the water as arriving convicts and soldiers first saw it. The boat passes the small Isle of the Dead, the settlement cemetery, where convicts, soldiers, officials and their families were buried during the years the prison operated.

From the water you also see Point Puer on the far shore, the site of the first separate prison for boys in the British Empire, where young convicts were taught trades. The commentary on board tells the stories of the people who lived and died here, and the calm harbour, surrounded by forested hills, gives a peaceful moment after the walk around the site. It is one of the most memorable parts of a Port Arthur day trip.

Richmond village and Richmond Bridge

On the way back to Hobart you stop for about 45 minutes in Richmond, one of the best-preserved Georgian villages in Australia. Its main street is lined with sandstone cottages, galleries and cafes, and an old-fashioned sweet shop is a favourite with visitors of all ages. Richmond Gaol, built in the 1820s, is even older than Port Arthur.

The highlight is Richmond Bridge, built by convicts from local sandstone between 1823 and 1825 and the oldest stone span bridge still in use in Australia. Walk down to the Coal River for the classic view of its arches reflected in the water, with St John Church on the hill behind. It is a gentle end to a long day before the short drive back to Hobart, arriving around 18:00.