The Isle of the Dead: Port Arthur’s Unique Island Cemetery by Merridy Wright

Book Description

Secondhand. Good condition. Wear to book corners and edges. Previous owner has written on back cover. Faded marks near spine.

When Port Arthur ceased to operate as a penal settlement, the island became extremely overgrown. In 1892 a small government grant was given to improve its appearance as it was feared to be an embarrassment to visitors. By 1910 the convict graves were no longer visible.

In 1937 a Garden of Remembrance was planted and the island cleared but the bush grew back to cover the whole island and the headstones once more. In 1971 the island was once more cleared and a programme of regular maintenance began and a chain fence was put up around the gravestones, In 1985 the fence was removed and a system of pathways was installed. (Introduction)