Australian Convict Sites
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
1830 illustration of convicts in front of the Hyde Park Barracks, one of the eleven sites that form the Australian Convict Sites | |
| Location | Australia |
| Criteria | Cultural: iv, vi |
| Reference | 1306 |
| Inscription | 2010 (34th Session) |
| Area | 1,502.51 hectares (5.8012 sq mi) |
| Buffer zone | 3,887.63 hectares (15.0102 sq mi) |
The Australian Convict Sites are a World Heritage Site that consists of eleven penal sites associated with convict transportation to Australia. The sites were constructed during the 18th and 19th centuries, a period during which around 166,000 people were transported to Australia. The eleven sites served varied functions, including development of the colony's land and exploitation of its natural resources, deterrence of crime through secondary punishment, and rehabilitation of convicts.
The Australian Convict Sites were nominated for World Heritage status in 2008, and were inscribed on the World Heritage List at the 34th Session of the World Heritage Committee in 2010. The eleven sites are spread across Australia, with one site located on Norfolk Island, one in Western Australia, four in New South Wales, and the remaining five in Tasmania.