If you are spending time on the Tasman Peninsula, the Coal Mines Historic Site is a fascinating and surprisingly moving stop that most visitors walk away from quietly impressed by.

This walk is ideal if:

Are interested in convict history and want a more personal, self-guided experience

Are already visiting Port Arthur and want a compelling add-on for the day

Prefer shorter, flatter walks with plenty to stop and look at along the way

Love photography, particularly ruins set against dramatic coastal backdrops

Want something that feels quieter and more off the beaten track than the bigger sites

Best Time to Visit the Coal Mines Historic Site

The site can be visited year-round and suits most weather conditions well, given the short distances involved.

Interestingly, overcast days suit this site particularly well. The moody light adds to the atmosphere of the ruins. If the weather is looking a little gloomy on your Tasman Peninsula day, do not let that put you off.

Summer brings more visitors to the peninsula generally, but the Coal Mines stays significantly quieter than Port Arthur and rarely feels crowded. Morning visits tend to offer the best light for photography and the best chance of having the ruins largely to yourself.

What to Expect at the Coal Mines Historic Site

Where Port Arthur is structured and guided, the Coal Mines Historic Site is the opposite. This is choose-your-own-adventure history, free to enter and free to roam, with crumbling stone ruins, underground cells, and views of Norfolk Bay along the way..

It is a smaller and more intimate experience than Port Arthur, but that is very much part of its appeal. There are no crowds pressing in around you and no tour groups moving through on a schedule. 

Expect:

• Free, self-guided exploration of convict-era ruins

• The Settlement, including the ruins of barracks, chapel, bakehouse, and store

• Underground Punishment Cells you can actually walk through

• Views across Norfolk Bay from various points around the site

• The option to walk or drive further up to the main mine site for additional history

Track Conditions and Things to Be Aware Of

The tracks are flat, well-maintained, and easy to follow throughout. The first 300 metres to the main ruins is wheelchair accessible, and the rest of the site is manageable for most fitness levels.

Some of the ruins are open to walk through, including the bakehouse and the Punishment Cells. Take care inside these structures and pay attention to any signage on site. Good footwear is always recommended, particularly if you are planning to walk up to the mine site.

The Settlement

The most prominent feature of the site is The Settlement, a collection of ruins dating from 1839. The stone barracks once housed up to 170 prisoners, and the remains of the chapel, bakehouse, and store all still stand in various states of ruin alongside them.

The bakehouse is particularly worth taking your time with. The stone window and door frames are remarkably intact given their age, and the views they frame across the surrounding landscape and out toward Norfolk Bay are beautiful.

The Punishment Cells

A short walk uphill behind The Settlement brings you to one of the more confronting parts of the site. The Punishment Cells were small, dark, underground spaces used for solitary confinement, and you can walk through them.

Even without doors to shut out the light completely, a few minutes inside is enough to understand the intent behind these spaces. They are dark, cold, and very unsettling.

The Mine Site

Further up the hill, the main mine site is worth the extra effort even though relatively little of the physical infrastructure remains. A fenced gravel pit and some rusted equipment are about all that is visible, but the signage at this part of the site tells some of the most compelling and thought-provoking stories you will encounter all day. Allow some extra time to read the boards carefully rather than rushing through.

Visiting as Part of a Bigger Day

The Coal Mines Historic Site pairs naturally with Port Arthur and the two complement each other beautifully. They tell very different parts of the same larger story, and visiting both in a single day gives you a much more complete picture of this remarkable and difficult chapter in Tasmania's history.

Port Arthur first, Coal Mines second is the strongly recommended order. That way, the broader context Port Arthur provides makes everything you see at the Coal Mines land with considerably more weight.