The Dark Turn: History and Performance at an Emerging Tasmanian Tourist Site

The University of Tasmania’s Ross Female Factory Project, a research initiative its College Arts, Law and Education, aims to “re-animate” Tasmanian convict tourist site affected by multiple historical silencings, the Factory. This article considers second author’s script, “The Caorthann Amulet Turkey”, which was developed address these silencings telling story four female inmates. It also surveys cultural political context that informed script’s development. is concerned with what history presented at sites, how presented; furthermore, however, it addresses former existing forms presentation reinforce conservative settler values within history. first part explores “dark turn” in heritage performances relation this phenomenon an authorised discourse represents convicts as victims heroes. explains how, considering past present trends interpretation, author crafted script.