Tasmania School Tours – Convict History Meets Natural Wonders

Spirit of Tasmania (SOT) is a ferry service connecting Tasmania to the Mainland. Providing transport for passengers, cars, caravans, trucks and of course, touring coaches.  SOT offers tailored group booking options for educational excursions, with benefits like pre-paid dining.

Make your student excursion memorable with a journey by sea. There is no better way to learn than hands-on, interactive exploration. Hassle-free – there is no need to split your group across multiple travel dates or times; SOT can take them all on the one sailing!

Once onboard and checked in, settle into your cabin before exploring the ship.

Accommodation

There are number of options available for student & teacher accommodation, depending on your budget:-

Four bed porthole cabin:  Their Four Bed Inside Private Cabins offer comfortable bunk beds for up to four people, making them perfect for families or groups of friends. Key features include adjustable air-conditioning, wall-mounted reading lights, a desk and chair, a wall mirror, hanging space, and multiple power points. Towels and soap are also provided, ensuring a convenient and enjoyable stay.

Four bed inside cabin:  With comfortable bunk beds accommodating up to four people, their Four Bed Inside Private Cabins are ideal for a school groups.   Offering similar key features to the four bed porthole cabin but without the view of the ocean.

Twin bed porthole cabin (suitable for teachers):  Experience the comfort of our Twin Bed Porthole Cabin, perfect for two passengers. Enjoy the fresh, bright, and colourful interiors designed for a relaxing journey. Each cabin features two single beds, adjustable air-conditioning, wall-mounted reading lights, a desk and chair, wall mirror, hanging space, and a power point. Indulge in the views through your private porthole as you travel on board Spirit of Tasmania.

Standard Recliner – Enjoy comfort and value with their Recliners, located in a private area requiring swipe access.  Key features include, individual reading lights, footrests, and luggage racks (not lockable). For night sailings, a small blanket and pillow is provided. Wheelchair accessible recliners are also available.

Food onboard

There are several delicious options for kids to eat on board, offering everything from relaxed meals to quick bites. Enjoy fresh Tasmanian produce at Tasmanian Market Kitchen (TMK) or the family-friendly Top Deck Lounge. Our onboard shop, The Pantry, also offers freshly prepared sandwiches, snacks, drinks and specialty Tasmanian products.

TMK (Tasmanian Market Kitchen) offers a casual self-service dining experience on Deck 7. Enjoy a variety of fresh Tasmanian produce, including hot meals, salads and vegetarian options. Morning fare includes convenient grab and go choices, while lunch and dinner feature house-made pasta, seafood and meats.   Even the pickiest of kids will surely find something to satisfy their taste buds at TMK, with a range of hearty main meals, fresh house-made salads and delectable sweet treats.

At the Top Deck Lounge you will feel like it is summer all year round, where deck chairs and floor-to-ceiling windows create a light, open space with unforgettable sea views.  Located close to the Kids Play Area, Xbox consoles and the Gaming Zone, it is a convenient spot for families. Parents can relax with a drink while children and teens enjoy a range of entertainment options nearby.

For extra convenience, The Pantry offers freshly prepared sandwiches, snacks and morning fare. It’s also the place to pick up souvenirs and a selection of Tasmanian wines to enjoy on your trip or take home on your return journey. Open after hours, The Pantry is the perfect spot to find a late-night snack during your sailing.

Entertainment

There are number of options for entertainment onboard, from the kids play area and gaming zone (mentioned above) or with two cinemas onboard, maybe a movie might be of interest (needs to be pre-booked).

The House of Anvers is located in a stylish 1931 California Bungalow, which is set on 1.12 hectares of gardens with mature trees and plants from all over the world.    Here we enjoy a delicious breakfast in the onsite cafe and perhaps purchase a treat from the Chocolate Shop.

Visit their chocolate antique display of chocolate and learn how chocolate came to be in the form we know it today.  The display takes you on a journey from the Aztec Indians, to when chocolate was only consumed as a liquid in the 1700’s, on to Henry Nestle who mixed the chocolate with milk (in 1875), to the chocolate we know today.

Listen to founder Igor Van Gerwen on the display monitor, you will see what is behind the process of producing fine chocolate.

Sheffield has rightly earnt the reputation as Tasmania’s Outdoor Art Gallery. Murals adorn the buildings on the main streets in town and have spread into the neighbouring areas, with over 200 now available to view. The murals in town tell the history of the area; people that have lived here, events that have happened and some of the natural attractions that they have in the Kentish Municipality.

Take a self-guided mural tour, by either coach or walking, depending on timings and admire more than 160 murals on its streets that depict local stories and characters.

At Melita Honey Farm you will be taken on a journey of discovery into the world of the honeybee and the honey she produces. Be inspired and amazed by this remarkable insect and her creations. Melita Honey Farm produces an amazing range of artisan honey and beeswax based products from one of Tasmania’s finest resources… honey!  Enjoy tastings of their delicious products and maybe purchase some to take home!

Mole Creek Karst National Park, features over 300 limestone caves and sinkholes, with Marakoopa and King Solomons caves serving as the primary tourist attractions.   Renowned for spectacular, extensive glow-worm displays, underground rivers and sparkling crystal formations, these caves offer daily guided tours.

Marakoopa Cave

The Underground Rivers and Glow Worms Tour highlights the sparkling crystals, reflective pools, stalactites and stalagmites of the lower chamber. Take time to listen to the music of underground creeks and soak up the silence of abandoned river passages. This easy tour caters for all age groups and levels of fitness.

The Great Cathedral and Glow Worms Tour requires medium fitness to ascend the stairway. Delicate formations and beautiful colours are a feature as you climb into the Cathedral chamber itself, where voices are amplified by the amazing natural acoustics.​

King Solomons Cave

The King Solomons Cave Tour is suitable for all age groups and levels of fitness. This cave features lavish colours and formations, with sparkling calcite decorating the chambers.

Scenic Chairlift

If you are after a truly unique experience jump on-board the famous Gorge Scenic Chairlift.  The relaxing chairlift lets you view the Cataract Gorge from above. No where in the world can you travel across a gorge estimated to be over 140 million years old this close to the centre of a city. The slow speed enables passengers to appreciate fully and photograph the spectacular views, making you feel like you are a million miles away. ​ With a total span of 457m, our chairlift boasts the longest single span of any chairlift in the world (308m).  The main drive station is located at Basin Road, West Launceston, near the main carpark and entrance, with the other station in the middle of the Cliff Grounds reserve. Your journey takes you over the huge naturally formed basin, filled by the waters of the South Esk River, at times surging through the Cataract Gorge. The gentle, safe, and breathtaking ride provides visitors with stunning views of both the eastern and western side of the reserve all the while taking in the majestic dolerite cliffs of the Cataract Gorge, which was described by William Collins, of the ship Lady Nelson, as “a scene of natural beauty, probably not surpassed in the world”.

Inclinator

For those people who are not wanting to ride the scenic chairlift, maybe the Inclinator is a better option.  A ride down the inclinator is the precise opposite of one of those “big drops” at an adventure park.

The inclinator is a mechanised people mover consisting of a glass-lined compartment, similar to a cable car, resting on twin rails set into the ground.  The Compartment is capable of carrying up to eight people and has wheelchair access and transports visitors from the top entrance to the lawn area below and is easy to operate.   Just press a green button to summon the inclinator as it slowly makes its way up or down.


The inclinator is a wonderful innovation for the mobility challenged and climbs and declines slowly effortlessy and quietly.

Swinging Bridge

This historic, suspension, foot bridge is approximately 60 metres long. It crosses the First Basin of the Cataract Gorge and is one of only three ways to cross the gorge, the others being the chairlift and the Kings bridge. 

At times waters will ravage below this iconic attraction creating quite a sight to behold.

Onboard Guide

This unique 1-hour onboard story-telling commentary will add something very special for your students.  In an hour we cover all of Launceston’s CBD and its fringes with entertaining narratives told by an experienced Historian that will cover not just significant sites/buildings/events but also the tales of characters such as Dodgy Roger.  He will also have a collection of photographs and other artefacts your students can also experience.

Journey through Ye Olde Launceston

Taking between 1.5 – 2 hours, this acclaimed experience covers not just all you need to know about Launceston and its amazing history but also Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land) and more. The formation of modern-day Tasmania has its foundations in the early colonial history of Australia and with a surprise French connection. From those early days of struggle and conflict came a city that now has the most diverse collection of architectural styles and eras in Australia. Of course, the rich cultural and historical tapestry of Launceston is far more than architecture and there are the stories of those early colonial settlers and ex-convicts who became the ’movers and shakers’ that forged into being one of Australia’s oldest cities.

Port Arthur is a village and historic site in southern Tasmania, Australia. Sitting on the Tasman Peninsula, it was a 19th-century penal settlement and is now an open-air museum. Ruins include the huge penitentiary and the remaining shell of the Convict Church, which was built by inmates. Solitary confinement cells in the Separate Prison building were used to inflict mental punishment in place of floggings. 

Their Education Programs provide immersive, curriculum-aligned experiences for primary and secondary students that support learning through the Australian Curriculum.

There are a number of Onsite Education Programs to choose from or you may prefer to enter and do a self-guided visit:

Site Entry – Self-guided

Site entry includes their harbour cruise. The harbour cruise departs from the Port Arthur Jetty and is approximately 25 minutes. Groups will be allocated a harbour cruise time when making a booking.  Site Entry is compulsive regardless of whether you choose to do a program.

Education Programs

Convict Life at Port Arthur  (Suitable for:  Year levels 4-12)

Learn about convict life and the Port Arthur penal settlement on this guided introductory tour of the site.  Students will visit key locations with one of their experienced tour guides and consider whether Port Arthur was a place of punishment or reform.

Profitable Punishment:  Bricklaying (maximum 20 students per session)    (Suitable for:  Year levels 4-6)

In this hands-on workshop, students learn about brickmaking, one of the many trades convicts were employed to do at Port Arthur. They explore the process of making bricks by hand and investigate historical examples of convict-made bricks from the site.

Historic Archaeology at Port Arthur (maximum 20 students per session)   (Suitable for:  Year levels 7-12)

In this hands-on workshop, students investigate the finds from the excavation of Port Arthur’s convict workshops area. They learn how to analyse artefacts and how archaeologists use this information, alongside written records, to answer questions about the past.

Isle of the Dead Cemetery Tour  (Suitable for:  Year levels 5-12 or students 12 years and older)

The Isle of the Dead was used as a cemetery for convicts, soldiers, civilians and children from 1833 to 1877. Students explore the island with one of their experienced guides and hear unique stories of the people who lived, worked, and died at Port Arthur.

Escape from Port Arthur  (Suitable for:   Year levels 5-12 or students 12 years and older)

Hear the stories of convicts who dared to escape Port Arthur, braving the elements with no food, water, or knowledge of the land, risking it all for a chance at freedom. Students explore the site with one of experienced guides and uncover acts of courage and determination.

Ghost Tour – evening (Suitable for:  Year levels 9-12 or students 14 years and older)

Ghost stories have been associated with Port Arthur since 1870 and over time many people have added to Port Arthur’s haunted reputation with their own accounts of paranormal activity. Follow your guide on a lantern-lit tour through some of Port Arthur’s more infamous buildings and ruins and, hear vivid stories of strange and unexplained events.

Eat & Drink

There are a number of options available at Port Arthur Historic Site for lunch or even dinner, if you are going on the Ghost Tour.   Please ask us about including meals into your costing.

Get ready to discover the wild side of Hobart! From native Australian wildlife to fascinating marine life, our zoo and aquarium offer unforgettable encounters for all ages.

Tasmania’s largest aquarium is a breathtaking, all-weather experience that showcases the wonders of their local marine and freshwater ecosystems. Equally exciting is their world-class, purpose-built Cotton Top Tamarin exhibit, offering an up-close look at this critically endangered primate.

You have two options available at the Hobart Zoo & Aquarium:

Self-guided Visit

Students can explore the zoo under Teacher supervision with full-day entry.

Conservation Education Program (Add-on to entry)

Students will be take on a 1.5-hour interactive session, led by a Conservation Educator, featuring talks, animal encounters, and activities. Schools may still explore the zoo for the rest of the day.  Teachers also receive curriculum-aligned resources, including pre- and post-visit activities and adaptable lesson materials for diverse learners.

Daily Presentations

There are a number of presentations through out the day, with birds, reptiles, primates, farm animals, zebras, lions, serbals and more.   Presentations are included in your full-day entry fee, so there is no extra cost to enjoy one or all of these!

Animal Encounters

Get closer than ever to some of the world’s most fascinating animals! All our encounters are designed to be intimate, educational, and unforgettable. Whether you’re after feathered, furry or scaly friends, there’s something for everyone.   Unlike the Daily Presentations, Animal Encounters do come at an extra cost.   Bookings are essential, as numbers are limited.

You can’t go to Hobart without a visit to Tasmania’s most popular tourist attraction, the Salamanca Market.  The Market is held every Saturday from 8.30am to 3.00pm and features over 300 stalls.  The Market showcases local Tasmanian handmade crafts, artisan products, gourmet food, and live music. It is a vibrant,, rain-or-shine outdoor market located near the Hobart waterfront.

The market is one of those special places where you can find plenty of handmade and home-grown produce, mingle with the locals, enjoy the vibrancy and atmosphere, and discover the heart of a creative island.

Looking for one of the most unique and unforgettable things to do in Hobart, whilst having fun and getting a lot of fresh air? Join a 2.5-hour Hobart City Kayak Tour and explore one of the world’s most picturesque harbours—from water level! This award-winning experience lets you glide past historic landmarks, hidden marine life, and working fishing boats as you uncover the heart of Tasmania’s capital from a fresh, rarely seen perspective.

For an even more unique experience, you will get to eat Fish and Chips whilst in kayak (you might need to stop paddling though).

Looking for something very different, then MONA is for you!   MONA is not your typical traditional museum and a place for the broad minded, as some of the exhibits are quite explicit.

One of the most popular attractions in Hobart is, this private museum defies conventional art gallery expectations and offers an immersive experience that is as much about challenging the viewer as it is about the art itself.