Tour to Richmond vs Port Arthur

[luvtravel88]

Ww will have one day in Tasmania and are having trouble deciding which place to sightsee. The Richmond tour includes a drive to Mt. Wellington, a visit to Richmond and to the Bonorong Wildlife Park. The tour to Port Arthur visits several sights on the Peninsula.

Thanks for any advice.

[yarramar]

No Contest - Port Arthur.

As nice as Richmond an Mt Wellington are Port Arthur will be a highlight of your cruise.

https://tasmania.com/points-of-interest/tasman-peninsula/

You will also likely visit a wildlife park elsewhere as they are usually included in many tours from all cities in Australia

[possum52]

I agree with Yarramar, Port Arthur would be my choice too. Amazing place to see.

[ilovetasmania]

I'd say it really depends on what types of attractions and experiences you enjoy most.

 

Richmond (my home town) is a beautiful little village built in the gorgeous Georgian style, and it is fantastic for a gentle walking exploration of its main street and historical sites, including the famous Richmond Bridge (oldest bridge in Australia still in use). Bonorong is the best place in Tasmania to experience our native wildlife as well, and they are also a wonderful organisation to support due to the rehabilitation work they do for sick and injured animals. Mt Wellington is an absolute stunner, and would have to be one of the most scenic views of a capital city to be found anywhere in the world (no joke!). You may even get snow on top.

 

On the other hand, Port Arthur is also beautiful and has a rich, sad history that all visitors to Tasmania should experience (your ticket will likely include a cruise past the Isle of the Dead as well). It is an unforgettable site that will definitely make an impact on you. There are many other fantastic natural attractions on the Tasman Peninsula that you may visit, but without knowing your itinerary it's hard to say. I suspect it won't be too many as it is a 1.5hr drive to get to Port Arthur from Hobart and another 1.5hr return (whereas Richmond is only 20-25mins from Hobart). The wildlife park on the Tasman Peninsula (if you visit) probably isn't quite as good as Bonorong based on the reports I receive from my community over at the Lap of Tasmania, but you will still have a fantastic experience seeing Tassie Devils.

 

Both will be fantastic though, so don't stress about making the 'wrong' choice 🙂 

 

If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask!

 

Andrew.

[luvtravel88]

Thanks for the advice!

Kim

[PasadenaDave]

On 8/30/2023 at 3:23 AM, ilovetasmania said:

I'd say it really depends on what types of attractions and experiences you enjoy most.

 

Richmond (my home town) is a beautiful little village built in the gorgeous Georgian style, and it is fantastic for a gentle walking exploration of its main street and historical sites, including the famous Richmond Bridge (oldest bridge in Australia still in use). Bonorong is the best place in Tasmania to experience our native wildlife as well, and they are also a wonderful organisation to support due to the rehabilitation work they do for sick and injured animals. Mt Wellington is an absolute stunner, and would have to be one of the most scenic views of a capital city to be found anywhere in the world (no joke!). You may even get snow on top.

 

On the other hand, Port Arthur is also beautiful and has a rich, sad history that all visitors to Tasmania should experience (your ticket will likely include a cruise past the Isle of the Dead as well). It is an unforgettable site that will definitely make an impact on you. There are many other fantastic natural attractions on the Tasman Peninsula that you may visit, but without knowing your itinerary it's hard to say. I suspect it won't be too many as it is a 1.5hr drive to get to Port Arthur from Hobart and another 1.5hr return (whereas Richmond is only 20-25mins from Hobart). The wildlife park on the Tasman Peninsula (if you visit) probably isn't quite as good as Bonorong based on the reports I receive from my community over at the Lap of Tasmania, but you will still have a fantastic experience seeing Tassie Devils.

 

Both will be fantastic though, so don't stress about making the 'wrong' choice 🙂 

 

If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask!

 

Andrew.

Andrew thanks for this informative post.  We will be there December 28 from 11-6.  The tour from our ship to Bonorong is sold out.  I notice that the Sanctuary offers a shuttle for a fee from town to the Sanctuary and back.  That appears to the better method of visiting the Sanctuary versus taking a taxi.  Do you agree?  I have a few concerns about taking a taxi to the Sanctuary but then not being able to find one to return to the ship.

[ilovetasmania]

5 hours ago, PasadenaDave said:

Andrew thanks for this informative post.  We will be there December 28 from 11-6.  The tour from our ship to Bonorong is sold out.  I notice that the Sanctuary offers a shuttle for a fee from town to the Sanctuary and back.  That appears to the better method of visiting the Sanctuary versus taking a taxi.  Do you agree?  I have a few concerns about taking a taxi to the Sanctuary but then not being able to find one to return to the ship.

 

No worries at all for the info. I didn't realise they offered a shuttle, so I appreciate you making me aware of that 🙂

 

For context, my wife and I have never found it a problem pre-booking a taxi (13CABS or Combined Taxis) to take us from our house near Richmond into Hobart. Uber has never worked for us when we've checked, so I would ignore that option.

 

We are around 22km from Hobart and it costs approx. $70 one-way. Bonorong is further, so I'm guessing it may cost around $90 one-way - $180 total.

 

If it is just you and one other person then you will be looking at $156 total for the shuttle (return). the only downside I can see is that you are limited to the shuttle schedule, which only runs in the afternoon and results in a maximum of 2hrs at Bonorong. I suspect that should be enough time to get the most out of the facility though.

So I guess if you prefer flexibility and don't mind paying a bit extra then I'd have confidence in the taxi option. But if you prefer more certainty around timing, then go for the shuttle option.

As an aside, I've also just finished a Hobart Day-Trip eBook that is available on the Lap of Tasmania website. Just let me know if you'd like to learn more 🙂

 

Cheers!

Andrew.

[PasadenaDave]

Thank you Andrew.  We will take a taxi.  The shuttle operator will be on holiday at that time.  I give him great marks on customer service with his quick response.  I think the combination of taxi and admission to the Sanctuary is still cheaper for two than the ship offered bus tour which is sold out.