History & Heritage

Tasmania’s historic past is no dead and dusty creature – it’s a living, breathing spirit that reaches out from its place in time, everywhere you tread.

The fascinating convict heritage lives on, not just in the penal settlements and convict-built towns, but in the communities of descendants that continue to live on the island.

Thousands of years before Europeans first came ashore, Tasmanian Aborigines were the state’s sole inhabitants. A number of significant historic Aboriginal sites are visible today, predominantly in the north-east of the island.

From its position on the edge of the great Southern Ocean Tasmania has rich maritime heritage: with colourful wharves, bustling fishing towns, and a strong marine science community working to manage this extraordinary resource.

Stories in this section:

On the run with convicts
A Colonial Landscape
Shipwrecks of Tasmania
Chinese Mining Heritage