Separate Prison Project
Port Arthur Historic Site, Port Arthur
Launch: August 13, then ongoing
It would take a lot to get K-Rudd back from his second home in China, especially now the Olympics are in full swing (“Hip hip hooray”). However, while the crème de la crème of the Aussie sporting fraternity are running around jumping over fences with big sticks, and throwing hammers about and ... stuff, Kevin is coming home. And he is coming home to see us, down here in Tassie, and what we have done with the former home of a bunch of criminals.
Go Port Arthur!
The Separate Prison is one Port Arthur’s most historically important structures. It was built in 1849 as a solitary confinement compound, where prisoners spent 23 hours of every day in a small cell. These cells were furnished only with a small table, stool, bedding roll, night soil bucket, a cleaning kit and a Bible.
On their rare outings outside their tiny, sparse and soundless cells, convicts wore masks to prevent them from interacting with other inmates. Any misbehaviour led to prisoners being locked in solitary cells in total darkness and silence. This confinement lasted from several hours to a month.
The Separate Prisons Conservation project has been a decade in the making, and the first stage has finally been completed. His new experience for Port Arthur will be launched by the Prime Minister, and the Premier, David Bartlett, on Wednesday 13 August.
After that, us Average Joe visitor can start to enjoy the new, and powerful, prison experience.
Upon entry, visitors will pass by a wall on which the regulations and rules of the Separate Prison are inscribed. These rules will be read out to visitors as they pass by; a recreation of what would have been heard by each prisoner as they entered their new home.
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We will then be able to see the ‘A’ Wing ,where six renovated cells have been set up to show how the convicts would have used them at different times of the day. The exercise will also be open to visitors. Well, “open” might be a bit misleading. The yard has been set up so the walls enclose visitors; all they will see is the sky, leading to a feeling of being trapped, as the prisoners were.
After the oppressive smog of Beijing, Kevin might even find the patch of blue he sees from he exercise yard just a little bit liberating. Perhaps that is why he is returning home from “the games”.
Or maybe there is just a hint of the convict behind his conservative façade. Well, you never know ...
Find out more about getting in touch with your inner convict here
Separate Prison Project
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