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Arthur Highway: Sorell to Port Arthur, Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania
Photo: Annette Teng · CC BY 3.0 · cropped

Drives Tasmania, Australia Hobart and Southern Tasmania

Arthur Highway: Sorell to Port Arthur

Arthur Highway, A9 · Sorell → Port Arthur

Sweeping43 mi1 hr3,600 ft climbHigh point ≈ 700 ftOne way
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The drive

The Arthur Highway (A9) is the main road onto the Tasman Peninsula. It leaves Sorell on the Hobart side, runs through Dunalley, where it crosses the Denison Canal, and continues to Eaglehawk Neck and Port Arthur. It is 69.2 km (43 mi) and takes about an hour, over mostly gentle curves.

Eaglehawk Neck is the best-known place on the road. It is a narrow isthmus, about 400 meters long and less than 30 meters wide at its narrowest, that joins the Forestier and Tasman peninsulas. From 1831, dogs were chained to posts across it to stop convicts escaping from Port Arthur. A side road leads to Pirates Bay Lookout.

The drive ends on the A9 before the Port Arthur Historic Site, which is open daily and charges its own entry.

Along the way

  1. Sorell (Arthur Highway)
  2. Dunalley
  3. Eaglehawk Neck
  4. Port Arthur (Arthur Highway)
Elevation
3,600 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 700 ft
SorellPort Arthur
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
SorellPort Arthur
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Wildlife is on Tasmanian roads at dusk and at night, so drive carefully then.
  • The Port Arthur Historic Site is a ticketed attraction; there is no charge to drive the highway.
  • The Australian and Tasmanian governments have announced upgrades for the highway, including more overtaking lanes, so watch for roadworks.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Tasmania Police: community alerts and road conditions.

Questions about this drive

How long does the Arthur Highway from Sorell to Port Arthur take?

The Arthur Highway from Sorell to Port Arthur is 43 miles (69.2 km) and takes about 1 hr.

Is there a toll on the Arthur Highway?

No toll is listed on the Arthur Highway (A9). The Port Arthur Historic Site has its own entry fee, separate from the drive.

What is Eaglehawk Neck?

Eaglehawk Neck is a narrow isthmus on the Arthur Highway that joins the Forestier and Tasman peninsulas. It was guarded with chained dogs in convict times to stop escapes from Port Arthur.

Is the Arthur Highway a twisty road?

The Arthur Highway is mostly gentle curves through farmland, bay views and forest, and it is not a twisty drive.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
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More drives near here

All 15 drives in Tasmania, Australia ›

Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Arthur Highway: Sorell to Port Arthur, from Sorell to Port Arthur