Well we finally got to visit this site - it was our third attempt and the weather was beautiful. Thed place is as impressive as it is made out to be and does leave a lasting impression. Our day included a guided walking tour and a harbour cruise and visit to the Isle of the Dead - the settlement's cemetery. At its height there were some 2500 persons there - the vast majority being convicts. A lot of the buildings are burnt out with wooden floors and roof gone.
The middle image shows what may be the only solitary confinement chapel in the world. Convicts in this special section of the prison have 23 hours a day solitary confinement. The hour of exercise is still segregated. They are on total silence and wear hoods with eye slits when out of their cell. Numbers are used instead of names and the church service is the only time they can use their voice to sing.
We are 2/3 of the way through our Tassie adventure and leave Hobart tomorrow to make our way up the East coast.
No comments:
Post a Comment