Australian Convict Sites

　　In the 18th and 19th centuries, the British Empire established thousands of prisons in Australia. The “Australian Convict Sites” comprise 11 of these colonial prisons. They are mainly located near Sydney and on the island of Tasmania, though several are also situated on Norfolk Island and in the city of Fremantle. Most were built on fertile coastal land from which the Indigenous inhabitants had been displaced.

　　These prisons held tens of thousands of men, women, and children who were exiled to the Australian colonies by British courts. Each prison had its own purpose—some served punitive functions, while others aimed to rehabilitate inmates through labor to assist in colonial development. The “Australian Convict Sites” stand as one of the best examples of large-scale criminal deportation and European powers’ use of convict transportation and forced labor for colonial expansion.

　　Australian Convict Sites Reason to visit: One of the best examples of colonial expansion Continent: Oceania Country/Region: Australia Province/State: New South Wales, Tasmania, and Western Australia