A most fascinating but imposing place, for 15 years this site was a convict probation station and Tasmania’s first operational coal mine, Plunkett Point. In 1839, 150 prisoners, the "worst of the worst" convicts, were posted here. By 1848 the mines were closed but today visitors can walk amongst the eerie ruins and learn of its dark history via the ‘interpretation panels’ on the Coal Mines Historic Site Walk; a 2 mi looped trail that starts and ends at Mine Road, Coal Mines Historic Site, Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania. Suitable for most ages and abilities, the terrain is mainly well-maintained grass and gravel track; graded as Medium difficulty (for how we grade trails, please click here), there is also a 300-metre section of the trail that is wheelchair accessible around the main settlement and Plunkett Point. It’s recommended that children are supervised and stick to the path at all times as the ruins and shafts can be dangerous. The trail is usually completed in under an hour but can take between 1 – 2 hours if you’re interested in taking in the full history of the trail. (Caution is advised on trail times as this depends on multiple variables. For more info, click here.) There are basic picnic and toilet facilities on site, and mosquitoes are prevalent year-round so the use of repellent is advised.
