We didn't actually go to the town of Port Arthur (there is one), but to the Port Arthur Historic Site. This is the site of the prison established in 1830 by Lieutenant-Governor Arthur (after whom it was named). This prison served as a "secondary" penitentiary, meaning it got a lot of prisoners from other penitentiaries or settlements. One thing the site is attempting to do is teach visitors something about the progression of the British justice system as the century progressed. From an extremely punitive prison facility, Port Arthur was gradually reformed and revised until it became a leading example of humane treatment. At first everyone was jailed together, but over time prison populations were segregated and organized on the basis of trustworthiness, health, sanity, and age. Individual cells were introduced, and treatment of the population actually improved over time. A hospital was built, and even an asylum was added for the criminally insane. A special juvenile detention unit was built across the bay at Port Puer. There was a ferry across to the island but I didn't go on it.
Of course, even (relatively) humane treatment doesn't do much to make up for the fact that many of the prisoners had been transported from England for relatively minor crimes, such as stealing a loaf of bread or a shirt. The first convicts built their own simple wooden huts. They were then required to cut timber, manufacture bricks, and quarry stone to build the facilities that would later house them. Some of these materials were used to build the town of Port Arthur as well as Hobart.
Most of the buildings are in ruin, although some, like the Commandant's House, have been restored. Apparently a decision was made to maintain (and rebuild as necessary) the exteriors of the buildings, but not to restore the interiors. As a result, most of the buildings (and all of the larger ones) are merely shells. In a way, this makes the ruins more interesting: more ruin-like, if you will. It is much more apparent that you are dealing with an historical site, not just something that is old.
There is also an information center where arriving visitors can assume the persona of a 19th century convict. They get sentenced to transportation, put on a ship and sent to Port Arthur. An identity card reveals the prison history of "your" real inmate and you can discover their personal story. This sounded too intense for me; I had noticed the Government Gardens and wanted to explore them, so I did. They are formal gardens laid out in a cross pattern, full of beautiful flowers.
As we were leaving Port Arthur, the captain decided to take a small detour to show us the cliffs at Cape Raoul, a truly spectacular sight. Many people (including me) left dinner early to get their cameras and record the awe-inspiring views. I have included some pictures, but believe me when I say that they are as nothing compared to seeing the real thing up close and personal, and especially without being pre-warned (just the captain's announcement to "Look out the window at the beautiful scenery I have decided to take you past"). Truly breath-taking and amazing!