TasVacations Blog

Port Arthur In Spring

On a lovely Tassie spring weekend we set off to Port Arthur, located south east of Hobart. Port Arthur is a 1 hour 20 minute drive from Hobart and is home to such popular attractions as the Port Arthur Historic Site and Tasman National Park.

On the way we stopped at one of my favourite places, the Bangor Wine and Oyster Shed at Dunalley known for their award winning wines and of course fresh oysters.

A visit to the area is not complete without visiting the township of Eaglehawk Neck known for the Tessellated  Pavement, a natural rock formation and Doo Town, a picturesque seaside village where each house has its own original name including ‘Doo’. During the summer months I would recommend visiting Eaglehawk Neck blowhole a spectacular site – and look out for the food van which sells fresh local seafood and delicious local Tasmanian ice cream and sundaes – my favourite is the berry delight with local Tasmanian berries!


We stayed at Port Arthur Villas where we were warmly welcomed with a lovely smile by Deb. Port Arthur Villas is a 4 star property located a short 5 minute walk from the Port Arthur Historic Site, and close to the popular Port Arthur Lavender Farm. The property is suited to both couples and families and includes a communal BBQ area and playground.

One of the many great attractions in Port Arthur is the Tasman Island Cruise by Pennicott Wilderness Journeys. Tasman Island Cruise is a 3 hour wilderness cruise along the beautiful coastline between Port Arthur and Eaglehawk Neck. We got to see Australia’s highest cliffs, deep sea caves and seals. After our cruise we were lucky enough to see a echidna wandering around exploring the bushland.

For a nice dinner we took a drive to Nubeena and enjoyed some yummy Italian takeaway, which we took back to our accommodation. 

If you are interested in joining a ghost tour at the Port Arthur Historic Site we highly recommend staying in the area for the night as there is always lots of wildlife on the road to we need to protect. Port Arthur is also home to one of my favourite walks in Tasmania, Cape Hauy. Cape Hauy is an 8km return walk requiring a medium fitness level with beautiful views from the top. For most of the walks in Port Arthur you do require a National Parks Pass, it is best to organise this beforehand.

After our cruise we couldn’t travel back to Hobart without a stop at the Dunalley Fish market, my favourite fish and chips in Tasmania. Dunalley Fish Market is run by friendly locals and provides a very generous serving. Located on the water in Dunalley, there are picnic tables and grass areas available to enjoy your seafood while it's nice and fresh.

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Thank You

TasVacations would like to thank the tour/attraction operators and partner properties for hosting us during our adventures. Thank you to Budget Rent A Car for providing our vehicles. For information on any of our partners, please contact our friendly consultants.