Port Arthur Photo

A view from a window of the Port Arthur Prison Hospital of from left to right the Paupers Mess, Asylum and Seperate Prison

Part of the ruins of the Penitentiary

The Commandant’s House was originally built as a four room timber cottage in c1833. Over the years the house and gardens evolved to meet the family needs and reflect the social status of the five commandants who lived here.

The Old Hospital at Port Arthur

Port Arthur contains one of the best preserved examples of a Separate Prison system based on that at Pentonville Prison in London. Also 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 as it was thought that the hard corporal punishment, such as whippings, used in other penal stations only served to harden criminals, and did nothing to turn them from their immoral ways. Under this system of punishment the “Silent System” was implemented in the building. Here prisoners were hooded and made to stay silent, this was supposed to allow time for the prisoner to reflect upon the actions which had brought him there.

Welcome to Port Arthur Photo, i hope you enjoy visiting and seeing some of the pictures from Port Arthur.

Port Arthur’s history is a colourful one. It was originally a flour mill which was soon converted to a Penal Colony that was known for its harsh conditions and dark history. It is located around 70 km south east of the state capital Hobart on the Tasman Peninsula.

In 1996 Port Arthur again had a dark day when it was the scene of the worst ever mass murder in the history of Australia.

Looking across the Harbour at the Ruined Penitentiary with the ruined Hospital standing on the hill