Port Arthur full day tour with Experience Tasmania
As part of Stream Art Design graphic design and marketing research, I had the pleasure of joining the Experience Tasmania, full day tour to Port Arthur.
By attending the tour, I gained further understanding of their customers and valuable insights into their day tour services on offer in Tasmania.
Experience Tasmania is a long standing and valued client of Stream Art Design. We have been working with Experience Tasmania since 2011 and have watched the company evolve over time into one of Tasmania’s finest tour operators. Based in Hobart, Experience Tasmania (and part of the Gray Line network), specialise in half day and full day tours to popular Tasmanian tourist destinations, such as Port Arthur, Mt Wellington (kunanyi), MONA, Richmond and Maria Island.
The Experience Tasmania team are passionate about the places they tour and want visitors on their tour to truly ‘experience’ Tasmania. Their friendly and professionally-trained driver guides, educate and entertain, making each tour a unique and personalised experience.
The Port Arthur tour commenced by heading out of Hobart city across the Tasman Bridge and weaving through coastal villages and agricultural fields to Tasman Peninsula. I was impressed by the depth of knowledge the driver guide shared on the coach drive, including insights into life in Tasmania, pointing out agricultural industries along the way and chatted about our beloved wildlife. The commentary was informative, humorous and entertaining.
The drive through Tasman National Park is awe-inspiring and a must-see for all visitors who have time to tour while visiting Hobart. Consisting of natural bush and spectacular, coastal views, we stopped to stretch our legs at the impressive Tasman’s Arch and admired the vista at the Pirates Bay lookout.
Arriving at Port Arthur, we entered the interpretation centre. I was impressed by the modern interior and layout. The interpretive displays are beautifully designed and well thought out. It was a pure pleasure to spend time among the visually stimulating exhibits, which really set the scene and created anticipation before entering the World Heritage site.
Port Arthur historic site contains more than 30 historic buildings, which you can explore at your own pace. I chose to join a short walking tour of the site where the guide talks you through life at Port Arthur as a convict and a free settler. I found this a great way to be introduced to the site and from there I had plenty of time to wander through the various buildings and exhibits and admire the neatly manicured gardens before heading toward the dock to join a cruise on Carnarvon Bay.
The thirty-minute cruise shows a different perspective of the site. As you sail out, from the Harbour, you can imagine the feeling of isolation the convicts and free settlers felt, arriving at such a wild place, it’s remoteness so apparent from the water.
Post-cruise I had plenty of time to eat lunch and explore the site further. There is a discreet memorial for those that want to reflect on the site’s 1996 tragedy or an option to visit the Remarkable Cave.
Thank you to Experience Tasmania for a wonderful day out, there is so much on offer at Port Arthur, an amazing, must-see World Heritage site. The Port Arthur tour is full of contrasts – the day was filled with history and natural beauty that left me awestruck and filled with contemplation of times gone by. If you’d like to join Experience Tasmania (Gray Line) on a trip to Port Arthur, visit experiencetas.com.au and book online today. They also have gift vouchers available as a special treat for a friend of family member.
Photography by Rachel Ehrat © Stream Art Design
