Point Puer is a contradiction. The landscape was magnificent, such beauty abounded with each turn of my head. How could you not marvel at its wonder…. then I remembered its history. The water colour was drawing us in like a magnet it was such a beautiful aqua and the mist just made it a secret jewel.
I am sure the boys of Point Puer did not have the same thoughts as I did on a cold morning in 1833 when the first sixty boys were sent to build the jail, for this was a penal settlement for boys from the age of 10 to 14. It operated from 1834 to 1849. It was the first British purpose-built institution for reforming of criminal boys. The hope was to try and give them a trade so they could be rehabilitated back into society and not re-offend into their adult lives. By separating them from the adult population at Port Arthur they could not be easily 
influenced by the hardened professional prisoners. Unfortunately in that era boys of that age were mostly undernourished and of short stature and so not appealing to many would be employers. Severe punishment was the keynote at Point Puer. By today’s standards some of the misdemeanors of the boys would not warrant transportation to another country on the opposite side of the earth. I wonder how the boys of today would fair under this regime? For more information please go to the link here.
Nothing much remains of their presence except a few foundations and a wall. We didn’t explore the whole area as it was misting with rain but scenery wise it was beautiful. Definitely worth the explore. Apparently you should go via Port Arthur on one of their boat cruises that will take you to this heavenly place. We took the road less travelled and went down Safety Cove Road, a road worth a trip if you have the time just next to Port Arthur.
In the picture below Isle of the Dead is the island that can be seen in the middle. This area is a popular tourist attraction with a boat cruise taking you there from Port Arthur.
Very informative and such gorgeous and mystic pictures! 🙂
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Thanks moonskittles. It was very ethereal really. It was so misty and eerily quiet with such glorious water. I felt we’d walked into a dream.
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You did a wonderful job transmitting the same feeling!
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Thank you 🙂
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🙂
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Stunning photos Kaz :-), but it’s such a shame the area has such a sad past. The Victorian era was not a time to be poor or a criminal, and unfortunately those two factors often went hand in hand, just for survival in some cases 😦
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What a shame that beautiful area has such a sad past. Your photos are awesome.
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Thanks Barb. Yes such a beautiful spot with such a harsh history which is synonymous for this area. So difficult to comprehend really.
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Beautiful photos, Kaz! Thank you for sharing the background info. 🙂
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My pleasure Amy. Thanks for your lovely compliment 😊
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Lovely place. A perfect postcard of perfection.
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Thanks so much Sherry it was the mot beautiful surprise. 🙂
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Beautiful pics of a beautiful place, but the history of cruelty and inhumane treatment causes me to shudder and to wonder how it was borne, especially by boys so young. But I realise that society itself was often acceptably cruel and inhumane in those times.
With some events that happen today in our time and society I wonder how much we have learned about the way to treat each other.?
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You are right it was so cruel and inhumane. I would like to think we are different now but on the news we discover still some people that remain that way. Hopefully these days though the good outweigh the bad.
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I think it does on the whole, and we just have to be kind and compassionate ourselves to start with.It wasn’t the sort of cruelty of the Port Arthur/transportation days I was thinking of, but the personal tragic stories we hear on the news -as you said.
Hey, there are “snow flakes” floating down on your site. Hope you get to make a snowman!
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I know its strangely snowing (not sure how that happened) and Im sitting here with the air con on… quite weird 🙂
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such beautiful pics of a sad place in history!!
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Thanks Cybele. It was so beautiful yet was such a bad place for our forebears, unfortunately they couldnt appreciate the beauty in their struggle to survive.
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That first photo looks like a watercolour itself. Lovely, Karen.
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Thanks Claudette, it was just like a painting just looking at it 🙂
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Gorgeous photos Kaz, they look like paintings! Love it!
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Thanks Barb, they do a bit dont they 🙂
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Beautiful photos. So atmospheric of what seems an eerie spot.
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Yes i could feel the sadness of times gone by. The mist seemed to relay the same feeling.
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Lovely photos. Also a lovely reminder of our boat trip to this lovely place in the late 1980’s. Thank you for the opportunity to remember a wonderful trip!
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Your very welcome. Thanks for your lovely comment. It’s a beautiful place. I wonder how much its changed since you were here.
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Great story, Kaz, poignant. And wonderful images with your words and photos.
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WOW Karen these photos are just like paintings, the colours are beautiful..love them all thank you
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It looked like a painting Di thanks 😊
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It looks incredibly serene.
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Thanks it was 😊
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