Booking choice: The Isle of the Dead day trip, from $132 per person. Check dates Tour details
Most visitors to Port Arthur look across the harbour at a low, scrubby headland without knowing what it was. That is Point Puer. From 1834 it held convict boys, separated from the adult prisoners on the other side of the water.
Little Depraved Felons: The Boys of Point Puer is Port Arthur's exhibition about them. Here is what it covers, when to go, and how to see the headland itself.
The quick answer
Little Depraved Felons is a family-friendly, interactive exhibition included in Port Arthur General Admission (A$55 adult, A$27.50 child). It opened in late 2025 and is open 9am to 5pm daily, but it is on hold from 5 to 26 October 2026 during the community exhibition. To see Point Puer itself, take the included harbour cruise or the Cape Raoul cruise.
What is the Little Depraved Felons exhibition?
A hands-on exhibition about the convict boys held at Point Puer, built for families and included in Port Arthur entry.
The official exhibition page calls it "a family-friendly interactive exhibition". It follows the boys from their crimes in Britain, through the voyage, to daily life at Point Puer: meals, work, punishments and routine. It ends with what became of them as free men.
Three real boys carry the story: Humphrey Sherriff, William Timothy Driscoll and William Pearson. Alongside the objects there are things to do. Kids can try picking a pocket, step into a solitary cell and spin a wheel. Short guided talks run during the day; the times are on the site's What's On page.
| Detail | What we found |
|---|---|
| Price | Included in General Admission (A$55 adult, A$27.50 child) |
| Hours | 9am to 5pm daily |
| Temporary closure | 5 to 26 October 2026 |
| Format | Interactive, hands-on, family-friendly |
| Talks | Optional short guided talks |
| Curator | Nicky Corbett |
When did the Point Puer exhibition open?
It opened in late 2025. The Tasman Gazette reported the opening on 7 December 2025.
The report, "New exhibition details stories of child convicts", quotes curator Nicky Corbett: "This exhibition invites us to reflect on their experiences and the broader legacy of juvenile incarceration." It appeared alongside news of the Penitentiary conservation project, which received $8.95 million in federal funding and is staged over five years so visitors can keep using the site.
One timing note for this month. The official page says the exhibition "will be on hold from 5-26 October 2026" while the Port Arthur Historic Site Community Exhibition is on. If you are visiting before 27 October, plan on seeing the rest of the site instead.
What was Point Puer?
A prison for convict boys across the harbour from Port Arthur, open from 1834 to the late 1840s. Port Arthur calls it the first purpose-built juvenile prison in the British Empire.
Lieutenant-Governor George Arthur set it up to keep transported boys away from adult convicts. The Companion to Tasmanian History describes it as "the first British purpose-built reforming institution for criminal boys", four years ahead of Parkhurst in England. The plan was schooling, religious instruction and trades, to turn teenagers into useful colonists.
About 2,000 boys aged nine to 21 passed through, according to the Tasman Gazette. Results were mixed. The Companion blames "management and resourcing issues, together with the defiant culture of many boys". Some reoffended as adults; others used their trade to live honest lives. Sources give the closing year as 1848 or 1849.
"Life there could be harsh and confronting," as the curator put it. The exhibition does not soften that, which is why it works.
How can you see Point Puer at Port Arthur?
From the water. The 20-minute harbour cruise in your entry ticket passes it, and the 90-minute Cape Raoul cruise goes past on its way out.
The included harbour cruise shows the site from the water, including the Isle of the Dead and the remains of Point Puer, according to the official ticket listing on Experience Oz. You choose your cruise time after checkout, so book an early slot and see the exhibition before you sail. The headland makes more sense once you know the names.
The Cape Raoul cruise leaves from the same jetty and passes Point Puer, the Isle of the Dead, Safety Cove and Crescent Bay before the dolerite columns of Cape Raoul. It needs a Port Arthur ticket on top: the official combo with entry is A$190 adult and A$140 child until 31 March 2027, or $98 for the cruise alone on GetYourGuide if you already have entry.
| Way to see Point Puer | Time | Cost | Entry needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harbour cruise | 20 min | Included | Yes, it comes with entry |
| Cape Raoul cruise | 90 min | From $98 | Yes, paid separately |
| Isle of the Dead day trip | About 4.3 h on site | From $132 | Included |
A 90-minute cruise from the site jetty past Point Puer and the Isle of the Dead to the columns of Cape Raoul. Site entry is extra.
Explore the Cape Raoul cruise Tour detailsIs the Point Puer exhibition good for kids?
Yes. It is the most hands-on part of the site, and the subject is children their own age.
Port Arthur pitches it as family-friendly, and the pickpocket game, the solitary cell and the spinning wheel are built for younger visitors. Older kids tend to stop at the boys' ages. Some were nine. That is a good conversation to have.
For a day with children, pair the exhibition with the harbour cruise and one or two of the restored houses, and stop there. Under-18s must be with an adult, and a child ticket is A$27.50. If the family has no car, the Isle of the Dead day trip gives you the longest time on site, about 4.3 hours. It is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. For pacing, see how long to spend at Port Arthur.
The longest time on site of any day trip, with the harbour cruise past Point Puer included.
Check dates for the Isle of the Dead day tripFrequently asked questions
Is the Point Puer exhibition free?
It is included in Port Arthur General Admission (A$55 adult, A$27.50 child). There is no separate ticket.
Is the exhibition open in October 2026?
It is on hold from 5 to 26 October 2026 while the community exhibition is on. Outside that window it is open 9am to 5pm daily.
Can you visit Point Puer itself?
The easy way to see the headland is from the water: the harbour cruise included with entry passes it, and so does the Cape Raoul cruise.
How old were the boys at Point Puer?
Around 2,000 boys aged nine to 21 were held there, according to the Tasman Gazette's report on the exhibition.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Port Arthur & Isle of the Dead Day Trip
The longest stay, about 4.3 hours, with a guided walk on the cemetery island
Port Arthur, Tasman Sights & Harbour Cruise
- Port Arthur Historic Site entry
- The 20-minute harbour cruise
- Pickup from 8 central Hobart points
Cape Raoul Wilderness Cruise
A 90-minute cruise from the site jetty to the dolerite columns
