The 100 metre wide peninsular Port, built on the Tasman Peninsula at Eaglehawk Neck has today, become a very beautiful park and is a piece of valuable history. The Port could be easily guarded by dogs and the surrounding waters were said to contain many sharks to deter the prisoners from attempting to escape. This splendid avenue offers majestic trees, lush green grass, cool shadows and scented.
This place has been the final destination for many hardened criminals as exile was a common form of punishment adopted since the late sixteenth century. Previously, the ration was considered sufficient. The officers and the families were able to receive the same quantity. The families were also able to supplement themselves with fruits and vegetables from their own gardens.
The port takes pride in offering many well-preserved and restored constructions. Some monuments were restored after the demolition of few old timbers due to fire. The granary, a large building consisting of four floors, was constructed in 1843. It was 70 meters in length and 11 meters in width. The mill failed due to erratic supplies of wheat and the building was converted to further accommodate prisoners. The cells were offered shelves for eating utensils, water containers and hammock. The second floor contained a chapel, a common mess room, a kitchen and bakery. The laundry and workshops were adjacent.
The Church building was constructed in 1836. From 1842, the tower was fitted with a wooden spire and in 1848 a peal of 8 bells was cast at the settlement and placed in the tower. A two-faced clock was put up in 1854. The Church was gutted by fire in 1884. The vast majority of the remaining buildings do not have sinister overtones. They were built to house the military detachment which eventually strengthened to over 300 men and their families.
The settlement was earlier called Carnarvon to encourage a new community to establish but the memories caused it to fail. Bushfires often occurred during these years in this place with dense forests. These fires swept through Port Arthur causing progressive damage. Later National Parks and Wildlife Service were constructed with available funds in 1973 to preserve and restore the most important historic site in Australia.
