From Hobart, we headed out to the Tasman Peninsula, where it was hard to tell if the frightening Tasmanian Devil road signs were there to protect the Devils from us or the other way around.
In addition to soaking up the peninsula's gorgeous scenery...
...and ridiculous abundance of wallabies and other wildlife....
...we visited the Port Arthur Historical Site, both for a nighttime Ghost Tour and then again the next morning for the introductory tour, a harbor cruise, and some independent wandering among the buildings that composed this brutal penal colony during much of the 19th century, when the British Empire was sending its worst to Tasmania (then Van Dieman's Land) for punishment (and reform?). It was such a beautiful setting it was kind of hard to wrap one's brain around the brutalities endured by those interred here.
On our way off the peninsula, we also stopped at a wildlife refuge center that gave us a chance to get upclose and personal with wallabies, kangaroos...
...and the Devils themselves! I somehow had never heard about the crazy, contagious mouth cancer that is wiping out all the wild Devils. So interesting to learn how captive preservation programs are widespread and will be the key to preventing the species' extinction. Basically, they will have to wait until all wild Devils have died of the cancer (which it looks like they certainly will) and then begin to reintroduce the healthy populations being bred in captivity into the wild to repopulate the island with wild Devils. They aren't too cute, but they're really fascinating!
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