coal mines historic site

I've been to Port Arthur many times and find the price quite off putting as a family of six. This time we were holidaying down there, my mother in law suggested we check out the coal mines so we did. I will never set foot in Port Arthur again. The coal mines were amazing. They are a non commercialised walk through history. I highly recommend this venue!

We only found out about this site by accident, wow.....the the ruins are well preserved, considering their age and location. The view is stunning, but just makes the whole site even more tragic....the suffering these convicts must have endured is unimaginable.anyone who is interested in our convict history should really make the effort to visit this site, the solitary cells are very scary.

If you are interested in colonial and convict history I recommend this site. Away from the crowds of Port Arthur you can find the quiet to truly reflect on what the convicts must have gone through - especially if you walk through the solitary cell area, I got a very creepy feeling there. The ruins have mainly been left to speak for themselves, which I liked. There are a scattering of signs made to look like fallen stonework, it is really well designed. Take the time to walk down to the beach where you will find beautiful little pebbles of coal washed up on the shore.

You can easily spend a day here. With ruins, cells and mines what more is there to ask for and best of all it is free. There are walks a plenty and views are amazing.

Love this little gem! The area comprises three main areas, and you can drive between the three, or the more energetic can walk which takes about 2 hours. It is free to enter and not staffed. Definitey worth a look if you are in the area.

Nice easy walks, beautiful scenery and enough information provided for you to visualise how it was. No crowds at all. As you enter the first car park has easy access to the most ruins. Has toilet facilities but nothing else.

This is about a half hour drive from Port Arthur through some beautiful countryside and it brings history to life. The ruins are all signposted and help to interpret the life that was led there a few hundred years ago.

Very peaceful, no people around, lots of walking trails, take a picnic.Toilet facilities available but no shops, no staff, you are on your own, beautiful. See my Saltwater River review, one and the same

Our B&B host suggested we visit this place. No idea what to expect so it was a revelation. Upon arriving we heard a lone brass instrument playing a mournful song and thought there must be a ceremony of some sort taking place and although we never set eyes upon the musician it was an evocative start to a wonderful experience. It astounded us that the ruins were so accessible with no guides, no officials, no fees, no crowds, no tourist centre, with just a few discrete signs. You could absorb the atmosphere, use your imagination with no hindrance, touch the stones that countless miserable convicts had touched before you, stand in the tiny, dank cells and appreciate the harshness of the place for the inhabitants. Unfortunately, we did not give ourselves enough time to do the whole area justice but enjoyed what we did see and experience.

About 25 minutes from Port Arthur, the Coal Mines Historic Site is well worth a visit after taking in Port Arthur, or could warrant a day trip on its own merit. In contrast to the very much tourist-catered Port Arthur, the Coal Mines is a self-guided site. Situated on the tip of the Tasman Peninsula, it affords stunning water views and offers walks ranging from a few minutes to three hours. Our schedule did not allow for us to experience the full scope of the site, but we were able to wander through the ruins of coal mines and underground solitary prison cells. I plan to set aside several hours for my next visit, so that a long walk and picnic lunch can be enjoyed in this spectacular setting.

Had no idea this was here after visiting Port Arthur many times - but this is well worth a visit. Be sure to walk around by visiting Plunkett Point first and then up the incline. This way round is softer on the knees and not so steep as the other way round. Getting to the mine shaft is the reward so don't miss it and then it's all downhill from there on. It was a grey windy rainy day for us so the atmosphere was really spooky and you could just feel all that had gone on here in the past. We walked around after a good lunch at The Lucky Ducks Cafe in Nubeena which finished our day off perfectly.

The forgotten convict site. This area is self guided. There are no brochures or tour guides on site but the scenery is sensational. Only took the shot walk but can highly reccomend a visit.

Went for a look the day after being at Port Arthur ,found the ruins but more by accident the car park sign is not visable when coming in from salt water river it's covered by regrowth,, but we found the main shaft and followed the worn track back to the ruins which in some respect was a good thing as we discovered the other ruins on the way down the track

Worth the drive if you have the time and it's FREE. A self guided tour where you see what you want to see, we walked around the main ruins (about an hour) and then drove up to the coal mine on our way to Port Arthur.

We walked around the main building ruins, but I would have liked to have walked around the shore to some of the more distant ruins. Not only is this a much smaller site than Port Arthur (and therefore less buildings) but also more decayed than Port Arthur. Even so, it is an interesting site and a good opportunity to immerse yourself in the brutal convict history of the place. Another visitor while we were there expressed disappointment that there was no pit, adit, and mining equipment! Clearly she had no real understanding of what to expect!!Worth the drive if you have the time.