Port Arthur - living history
January 31st 2010 12:27
I love history but some museums are boring. Ask any seven-year-old. But Port Arthur Historic Site is not one of them.
I spent seven hours there today and then came back for the Ghost Tour tonight. The whole day was outstanding. I became a TV journalist partly because I have the attention span of a gnat. This was the perfect day out for me. Not too many glass cases full of "stuff", but rather, interactive exhibits, historic properties set up as they were in the 1800s when Port Arthur was a notorious secondary punishment centre and quite a few ruins.
Most importantly, Port Arthur Historic Site has recruited excellent staff. I began the day with Daniel on the front desk who took the time to explain all the tour options (Bronze Tour $28). The 11.30 guided tour was hosted by Eric. I've travelled the world several times over and I haven't come across anyone better. He knew his material, his jokes were funny, he kept things moving and best of all, he made Port Arthur's history come alive.
The Isle of the Dead Tour ($12), led by Neil, left me with a real sense of some of the 1100 people buried on the Island, just across from Port Arthur.
The rest of the afternoon, I wandered the site, trying to imagine the harsh life the convicts, soldiers and their families must have faced. The Separate Prison in particular, where convicts were sent when they first arrived or reoffended, was chilling. No noise; no contact with fellow prisoners was allowed. Total silence. Total isolation.
Tonight, to my delight, Eric was hosting my Ghost Tour ($20). I convinced the people from my B&B to change tours because I knew he would deliver. He didn't disappoint us. We were all jumping at our own shadows by the end of the night. I'm the most committed sceptic there is when it comes to ghosts but even I thought I heard a few footsteps in the Separate Prison.
Storytelling is an art - some people just have the knack. Congratulations Port Arthur for recruiting guides who bring your history to life. Without them, it might just be a really impressive-looking ruin.
I spent seven hours there today and then came back for the Ghost Tour tonight. The whole day was outstanding. I became a TV journalist partly because I have the attention span of a gnat. This was the perfect day out for me. Not too many glass cases full of "stuff", but rather, interactive exhibits, historic properties set up as they were in the 1800s when Port Arthur was a notorious secondary punishment centre and quite a few ruins.
Most importantly, Port Arthur Historic Site has recruited excellent staff. I began the day with Daniel on the front desk who took the time to explain all the tour options (Bronze Tour $28). The 11.30 guided tour was hosted by Eric. I've travelled the world several times over and I haven't come across anyone better. He knew his material, his jokes were funny, he kept things moving and best of all, he made Port Arthur's history come alive.
The Isle of the Dead Tour ($12), led by Neil, left me with a real sense of some of the 1100 people buried on the Island, just across from Port Arthur.
The rest of the afternoon, I wandered the site, trying to imagine the harsh life the convicts, soldiers and their families must have faced. The Separate Prison in particular, where convicts were sent when they first arrived or reoffended, was chilling. No noise; no contact with fellow prisoners was allowed. Total silence. Total isolation.
Tonight, to my delight, Eric was hosting my Ghost Tour ($20). I convinced the people from my B&B to change tours because I knew he would deliver. He didn't disappoint us. We were all jumping at our own shadows by the end of the night. I'm the most committed sceptic there is when it comes to ghosts but even I thought I heard a few footsteps in the Separate Prison.
Storytelling is an art - some people just have the knack. Congratulations Port Arthur for recruiting guides who bring your history to life. Without them, it might just be a really impressive-looking ruin.
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