![]() In 1830, Governor Sir George Arthur was sent to Van Diemen’s Land to build a penal settlement for convicts from Britain and Ireland. We need to remember the land’s past when visiting sites like this and recall that the convict history, while seemingly ancient, is actually very modern when compared to the thousands of years of history of the Palawa people. Although the original Tasmanian language has been lost, there is an effort to rebuild it and restore much of the history ripped from the indigenous people of Tasmania. Today, there are only a few thousand remaining Palawa, mainly mixed with European blood from the British settlers. The absolute abolishment of the aboriginal Tasmanian people has been deemed a genocide as per the UN’s definition. But this doesn’t mean the British were free from violent culpability the British invaders also incarcerated many of the Palawa people in camps where they also died. But by 1835, only 400 full-blooded Palawa people survived, mainly due to the impact of diseases introduced by the British. Before the British colonization, there were around 3,000–15,000 Palawa that lived off this land. These aboriginal people are entirely different from those in Australia since Tasmania was cut off from the mainland 10,000 years ago. The clan that lived on the south peninsula were called the Pydarerme. And although I thought I was prepared for what I would see, nothing could have prepared me for how powerful this historic site could be.īefore the colonization of Tasmania by the British, the Tasmanian Aboriginal people, self-name Palawa, lived rich lives here on the shores of the south coast. Port Arthur was the first of any Australian convict site I visited. ![]() This complex gives a fantastic and haunting look back in time at Tasmania’s penal colony past. And Port Arthur is one of the best-preserved Australian Convict sites you can still visit today. Five convict sites in Tasmania have been recorded as UNESCO World Heritage sites and places of enormous historical relevance. The building of these penitentiaries brought inmates to the shores of Tasmania and new British residence and industry to the otherwise only indigenous occupied land. Tasmania’s history is steeped in the development of convict sites made to house inmates who came in from Britain. Thank you for supporting the Creative Adventurer*ĭriving up to Port Arthur, even during the light of day, is an ominous approach. Roslyn Route (covers the area of Flower Hill located within the Roslyn Union Free School District) – roughly 4.*I may be compensated if you purchase through any affiliate links on this site.Port Washington Route (covers the area of Flower Hill located within the Port Washington Union Free School District) – roughly 8.18 mi.Manhasset Route (covers the area of Flower Hill located within the Manhasset Union Free School District) – roughly 4.6 mi.Old Trolley Route (connecting to known infrastructural points of interest once part of the New York & North Shore Traction Company’s trolley routes within what is now Flower Hill) – roughly 0.969 mi.Notable Streets Route (connecting to all notable streets and historic street-related infrastructure) – roughly 8.35 mi.Parks, Museums, and Scenic Overlooks Route (connecting to all named green spaces, museums, and scenic overlooks) – roughly 9.04 mi. ![]()
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