Hi Everyone,
Well, if you have read all our blog pages you are now reading the
101st Blog.
That's right, it wasn't till I hit the 'publish' button on the last one I realised it was the 100th.
We arrived in Port Arthur and it was a beautiful clear day.
Upon purchasing our tickets we were given a playing card with a number and suit. We decided between us that whoever was the worst convict had to give a foot massage to the other.
Ellen was given the 10 of diamonds, I was 4 of spades, we went downstairs to find the convict that corresponded to that card.
He was a naughty boy as you can see, and was punished accordingly.
Here he was sentenced to the boat crew.
Mine was just as naughty, he stole some candles....but then later escaped stealing a musket and shot at a guard....this last little adventure cost me a foot massage with Ellen....she rightly thought her convict was better behaved, and won our bet.
Port Arthur's penal station was established in 1830 as a timber getting camp, using convict labour. In 1833 it became a punishment station for repeat offenders from all the Australian Colonies.
The convicts were made to go to church, the church remained non denominational, so that all military, their families and the free settlers alike could attend.
The remains of these buildings are stunning.
Our ticket included a 20 min harbour cruise.
This little island named the Isle of the Dead, was where the residents of Port Arthur were laid to rest.
The hierarchy was still present in burial, with the convicts on the low side in unmarked graves and the military and free persons laid to rest at the top of the hill, with grave markers and headstones.
This island is the Point Puer Boys' Prison, and lay not that far from the Isle of the Dead.
It was not a pleasant place by any means.
Port Arthur was a bustling Harbour in its day, producing everything from worked stone and bricks to furniture and clothing, boats and ships.
There were two totally different lifestyles, those of parties, regattas and literary evenings, for the free persons and military.
In stark contrast to the convicts who were punished and worked hard.
There were military barracks, and towers.
These were built between the penitentiary and the Commandants house, great idea..
This is the view from the military precinct, you can see the ruins of the penitentiary below.
This is the remains of the hospital.
The church is located on the hill over in the settlement part of the colony.
Here is a naughty little convict I found....
This last building was the Asylum. It housed the less, shall we say, 'stable' convicts.
This was a beautifully built staircase to the church within the complex.
This place was completely silent, except for singing in church on Sundays.
The cells were tiny and minimal, the stories heard from this place.....horrific.
Some of you may remember Port Arthur for a different reason. A crazed gunman back in 1996 took the lives of 35 people and injured 19 others.
A memorial garden and reflection pond is tastefully place where this tragic event took place.
Looking around Port Arthur it's hard to believe that in such a beautiful place, such pain and tragedy happened, in modern and days gone by.
Till next time
Ellen and Michelle
xx
