Coal Mines Historic Site in Saltwater River, Tasmania, Australia | Landmark & historical place

Coal Mines Historic Site

Locality: Saltwater River, Tasmania, Australia

Phone: +61 3 6251 2310

Address: Coal Mines Road, C341, Via Premaydena 7186 Saltwater River, TAS, Australia

Website: http://coalmines.org.au/

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25.01.2022 puffing and blowing and reeking and steaming from their exertions. The convict miner, William Jones, paints a graphic picture of the effort that a team of 4 men had to go to to lug a 150kg cart of coal out of the shaft. Walking around the tracks of the Coal Mines site is a much gentler exercise, which we are sure the family of www.instagram.com/aussiedestinationsunknown would agree with.... World Heritage Australian Convict Sites Hobart & Beyond Discover Tasmania

25.01.2022 Starting this Sunday, an exclusive Coal Mines tour is giving visitors the opportunity to learn deeper and darker insights into this little known, but integral, part of the convict system. Bookings are essential and can be done through https://portarthur.org.au/tour/coal-mines-tour/ or by calling reservations on 1800 659 101. This tour is only being offered on Sundays and for a limited time. ... Discover Tasmania Hobart & Beyond World Heritage Australian Convict Sites #HolidayHereThisYear #Makeyourselfathome

22.01.2022 The Coal Mines Historic Site at Saltwater River is officially open! This weekend marks the first in over three months that visitors can come and take in the picturesque beauty and sobering history of this fascinating part of our island. We would love for you to rug up, jump in the car, get the whole family buckled in (including the dog!) and take a road trip to discover all the rugged Tasman Peninsula has to offer. ... To read up on the site’s history access the Coal Mines Visitor Guide here: https://coalmines.org.au//Visitor-Guide-Coal-Mines-Site.pdf Photo credit: @margaretteoti Discover Tasmania World Heritage Australian Convict Sites Hobart & Beyond

22.01.2022 The openness of the Coal Mines Historic Site today may deceive some on how cramped, dirty and intense the conditions were for the convicts and other mine workers. From the start of operations up until 1841, the winch to raise the loads of coal from the mine was manned by convicts, hunched over and fighting for fresh air in the restrictive 1.2m of headroom. At least we have the blue skies and fresh air to calm us as we imagine such things exploring the Coal Mines now.... Showing the modern 'spaciousness' of the ruins: https://www.instagram.com/newsworthystuff/?hl=en #australianconvictsites #coalmineshistoricsite #ruins

20.01.2022 Looking forward to getting out and about? We are excited to announce that the Coal Mines Historic Site will be reopening Saturday 20 June! Entry as always is free and we invite you explore the site, it's ruins of houses, barracks, offices and the chilling cells of the 'worst of the worst' convicts who once lived and worked here.... Bring the kids, bring the dog, why not bring a picnic too. Check our website for help in the planning www.coalmines.org.au Share your experience and stories with us #coalmineshistoricsite just as Four Who Explore did on their journey around the Tasman Peninsula last year. Discover Tasmania Hobart & Beyond World Heritage Australian Convict Sites

17.01.2022 We recognise climate change and that it is having an impact on our natural and cultural heritage, as well as that this is a long-term process that is unlikely to stabilise or reduce. PAHSMA is taking steps to ensure our conservation work navigates its way through the ‘new normal’ of, for example, degradation of materials, rising water levels and changing weather patterns. This includes mitigating loss, but also recording it and in some instances, learning to accept it. Whil...e much of the world’s focus towards climate change is looking forward, it is often a challenge to look back at the things that have shaped our culture. Google Arts & Culture: Heritage on the Edge presents some great information on how people around the globe are protecting heritage sites against the effects of climate change. https://artsandculture.google.com/proj/heritage-on-the-edge Discover Tasmania Hobart & Beyond World Heritage Australian Convict Sites www.instagram.com/shelleaman

15.01.2022 Sharmaine of Tasmania's Most Haunted spent some time at the Coal Mines Historic Site as part of her #makeyourselfathome campaign. Thank you, Sharmaine, for including the site as part of your paranormal explorations and helping to promote this spectacular and unique part of Australia's convict history. Discover Tasmania Hobart & Beyond #holidayherethisyear #comedownforair

15.01.2022 Visitors to the Coal Mines Historic Site often comment that the underground cells are some of the most horrifying forms of punishment they could imagine, but they may be unaware that hiding over 15m underground are four truly brutal boltholes. Reserved for the ‘most refractory of men’ was a space just high and long enough to stand and sleep in (if you managed to do so on the 45cm wide plank that was the bed). Elliston’s Almanac in 1837 reported that these cells, were so mu...ch dreaded by the prisoners, being so awfully dark, and a species as it were, of burying alive, that for the sake of humanity, they were seldom used. Perhaps they were seen as a step too far as not long after that article the deep lock-ups were closed, making way for the closer to ground level, but still claustrophobic and cruel punishment cells walked through today. The entrance, and the now lighter corridor, to these is shown here by www.instagram.com/ginijean. #solitaryconfinement #cruelty #reform

13.01.2022 Intriguing, confronting, harsh, inspiring The Australian convict story includes over 160,000 tales of men, women and children who were transported from across the world. What happened to them once they arrived depended on many things such as their gender, behaviour, skills or age, which could lead them to many different parts of the colonies. On 31 July 2010, eleven of these sites across the country were recognised by UNESCO and placed on the World Heritage list as the Austr...alian Convict Sites, all representing various aspects of the forced migration and how these people were treated and used through punishment and reform systems. Tasmania is home to five Port Arthur Historic Site, Cascades Female Factory, Coal Mines Historic Site, Woolmers-Brickendon Estates and Darlington Probation Station. The Coal Mines at Saltwater River are an example of the harsh work conditions imposed on those who were deemed the ‘worst of the worst’. Convicts of the lowest class who kept offending whilst at Port Arthur were often sent out to the mine to toil underground or in the shafts, get timber and construct the buildings on site. Underground solitary cells were the ultimate punishment. Today, much of it stands in ruin, but visitors can wander the waterside site and imagine how hard the system, and lives of those within it, was. A decade on from the listing, short films have been made for all of the sites which provide insight into the importance of our convict past and the lessons we continue to learn from this history. They can all be found on www.australianconvictsites.org.au #portarthur Cascades Female Factory Historic Site Port Arthur Historic Site, Tasmania Woolmers Estate Brickendon Estate Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service World Heritage Australian Convict Sites Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour Hyde Park Barracks Fremantle Prison Old Government House - National Trust of Australia NSW #KAHVA #OldGreatNorthRoad

12.01.2022 Due to the severe weather forecast, the Coal Mines site is closed for the safety of visitors and the site. We apologise for any inconvenience.

10.01.2022 ‘These are not just landscapes of punishment, these are landscapes of production’ The Coal Mines in Saltwater River had a fearsome reputation as a place of hard labour for the most refractory of convicts. At the peak of its production it was comprised of an extensive system of tunnels and caverns wherein men extracted an average of 3 tonnes of coal per day in dark, cramped and filthy conditions. ... Only two more days until the Coal Mines reopen on 20th June! Gain an insight of the remnants of this once-thriving convict outpost and have a listen to the Port Arthur Historic Sites archaeology manager break down its brief but brutal history... World Heritage Australian Convict Sites Discover Tasmania Hobart & Beyond

10.01.2022 Looking at the rewilded landscape of the Coal Mines Historic Site today, it can be difficult to imagine that it once hummed with the work of over 500 convicts, officers, guards and their families. Thank you for sharing these stunning photos @khulmie, giving us a taste of what awaits us once we reopen the site on 20 June! #coalmineshistoricsite #worldheritage #australianconvictsites #weekendsaway #tasmanpeninsular #convicthistory #tassiestyle #discovertasmania #seeaustralia #holidayherethisyear @ Coal Mines Historic Site

08.01.2022 Port Arthur Historic Sites has the responsibility of not just conserving convict heritage, but also ensuring that the natural values and biodiversity of our sites are protected. A lesser known, but fascinating inhabitant of the Coal Mines Historic Site, is the Tasmanian hairstreak butterfly. This rare creature requires a unique mix of specific eucalypt, acacia and ant to be able to live, which makes the tiny (but growing) colony at the site incredibly special! Next time you ...visit, be sure to tread lightly and keep an eye out for these little critters and all the other incredible wildlife we share our space with. Spot the caterpillar in the first image from www.instagram.com/why_science/ Adult hairstreak butterfly images are from https://about-tasmania.com.au/project/silky-hairstreak/ and were taken in Peter Murrell Reserve in Kingston. If you happen to get some photos of this bright and beautiful invertebrate from the Coal Mines, please share them with us! Discover Tasmania Hobart & Beyond World Heritage Australian Convict Sites #holidayherethisyear #makeyourselfathome #NationalBiodiversityMonth

03.01.2022 The Coal Mines Historic Site is an important part of Australia's history, but preserving it is proving to be a challenge... Listen to Dr Richard Tuffin describe life of the convicts at the Coal Mines and Dr David Roe explain some of the challenges facing the site today. Story by Georgie Burgess on Your Afternoon with Helen Shield with ABC Hobart... https://www.abc.net.au//programs/your-/coal-mines/11678666 #climatechange #australianworldheritagesites ABC Radio Hobart: Georgie Burgess

02.01.2022 Due to the severe weather warning and dangerous road conditions, the Coal Mines Historic Site is CLOSED for today (Wednesday 5 August). Please stay safe.