Pennicott Wilderness Journeys is adding a new experience to its multi award winning tourism portfolio, Cape Raoul Cruises. To be launched on 9 December 2024, the wilderness cruise will operate from the UNESCO World Heritage listed Port Arthur Historic Site.
“We are excited to be working with the iconic Port Arthur Historic Site to drive demand for the Tasman region with this new experience, extending the offering of Port Arthur Historic Site and encouraging visitors to spend more time exploring the Site, extending visitor yield and regional dispersal,” said Robert Pennicott, Managing Director, Pennicott Wilderness Journeys.
“We are privileged to be showcasing the beautiful coastal landscape of south-eastern Tasmania, sharing parts of Tasmania that people never get to see. While visitors to the Port Arthur region may have explored the area by foot, they haven’t had the opportunity to see this ancient coastline by boat.”
The Cape Raoul Cruises experience is a 90-minute cruise departing from the Port Arthur jetty taking in the rugged coastline of the Tasman Peninsula to Cape Raoul. Landscape highlights include the white sands of Safety Cove, the tall dunes of Cresent Bay, Mt Brown and the spectacular columnar cliffs of Cape Raoul with plenty of opportunities to spot coastal wildlife.
Robert Pennicott said, “it is so special to witness the sheer magnitude of the 170-million-year-old, dolerite cliffs of Cape Raoul, rising over 250 metres high and of course, the cheeky Australian fur seals that lounge at its base.”
Guests will travel in a luxury Tasmanian-built catamaran. It has 45 leather seats and is enclosed to protect guests from the elements. It has a full walk-around capacity and provides a great viewing experience, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the environment. The vessel includes space for two wheelchairs.
The international award-winning tourism operator invested $2.2 million in the new vessel, named Port Arthur Explorer, and built locally by Alufab. Pennicott Wilderness Journeys received a $900,000 grant from the Tasmanian Government’s 2022 Tourism Innovation Fund towards the boat build.
Pennicott Wilderness Journeys owner Robert Pennicott says there are ongoing economic benefits associated with the new cruise. In the short to medium term, the company expects to attract 20,000 visitors annually and will employ 10 full-time equivalent staff in the Port Arthur region to deliver its services.
Supporting the organisation’s strong environmental philosophy, the boat has been designed to optimise fuel efficiency using the latest technology to handle rugged coastal conditions with low emission output.
Cape Raoul Cruises commences operation from Port Arthur Historic Site on 21 December 2024.
