The worst convicts in Van Diemen's Land were sent to Port Arthur, and the worst of those were sent here. The Coal Mines on the Tasman Peninsula, in southeastern Tasmania, were established in the 1830s to supply coal to the colony and to punish repeat offenders with hard labour underground. Men worked in dark, damp shafts and tunnels, hauling coal in terrible conditions, and solitary cells were built for those who broke the rules. The site was closed in the 1840s, and today the ruins of the barracks, cells, chapel and mine shafts lie scattered among the eucalyptus forest beside the sea. It is one of eleven places that make up the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property, listed in 2010.
The Coal Mines are much quieter than Port Arthur, which draws coaches and crowds. Here you can wander alone among the ruins, listening to the birds and the waves, reading the stories on the information boards. The setting is beautiful, with views across Norfolk Bay, and the contrast between the peaceful landscape and its history is striking.
The Tasman Peninsula is connected to the rest of Tasmania by a narrow isthmus at Eaglehawk Neck, which the convict authorities guarded with a line of chained dogs to stop escapes. The coast around it has dramatic cliffs, sea caves and rock formations, including the Tessellated Pavement, a flat rock shelf cracked into rectangular tiles, and the Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen. Port Arthur, on the southern side of the peninsula, is well worth a visit.
The riding is excellent. The Arthur Highway from Hobart winds through farmland and forest, along the coast and over hills, with good surfaces and plenty of bends. The minor roads on the peninsula are narrower and quieter, some of them gravel. Watch for wildlife: wallabies, pademelons, possums and wombats are common on the roads, especially at dawn and dusk, and hitting one can be dangerous. Weather in Tasmania changes quickly, with rain, wind and cold possible at any time of year.
The nearest towns with services are Nubeena, on the peninsula, and Sorell or Dunalley on the way from Hobart. Fuel is available in these towns, but stations are few and far between, so fill up when you can. Try the local seafood: oysters, scallops and fish from these waters are excellent.