"Saltwater River", also known as Salt Cove, is a former penal colony on the Tasman Peninsula, 106 kilometres from Hobart and 23 kilometres from Port Arthur. On the Saltwater River site there were once two penal colonies. One was agricultural - its inhabitants grew fruit and vegetables and maintained a pigsty. The produce from this colony was shipped to Port Arthur and other settlements on the peninsula. And the inhabitants of the second, known for its inhumane living conditions, mined coal. In this colony, there were 60 men under 24-hour guard. Escape was virtually impossible, thanks to an ingenious alarm system.
Today, the second colony settlement is listed in Australia's National Heritage Site as the site of historic coal mines. And at the site of the former colonies, only ruins and underground chambers remain, restored in 1977. These cells are one of the most horrifying examples of the conditions in which of prisoners across Australia. Here you can see the ruins of a major prison with the warning signs saying "Danger!" and "Do not enter!". Further on, you can see an old coal mine, which today is nothing more than a hole in the ground, surrounded by a fence. A sign nearby reads: "This huge hole is all that remains of the main shaft of the Plunkett Point Mine. Coal mining began in 1834. For prisoners, working in the mine was part of their punishment. At the peak of production, approximately 500 tonnes of coal were shipped to Hobart each year. Coal mining ceased in 1848 and the mine was sealed for public safety".
Today, the Saltwater River ruins are a kind of symbol of Hobart's history which all tourists to Tasmania are keen to visit. From the ruins you can from the ruins to Ironstone Bay, which has many picnic areas on its shores.
