Old Melbourne Gaol
19th Century Prison and Former Magistrate's Court
The Old Melbourne Gaol is a chilling environment for studies of 19th century prison life. As Victoria's oldest surviving remand prison, the Gaol has links with some of Australia's most significant historical moments, including the Gold Rush, the Eureka Stockade Rebellion and the Second World War.
- The Gaol was the scene of 136 hangings, including that of infamous Ned Kelly.
- See the whipping triangle, cat of nine tails, birches and canes, and other displays of the Gaol's grim history.
- The Gaol provides a stimulating and interactive educational experience.
- Students investigate what conditions were like for men, women and children in the gaol and are encouraged to reflect on ideas about crime and punishment both then and now.
Tours on Offer:
Laws and Rules: Primary and Secondary
Students examine the differences between laws and rules in the penal system and the consequences for felons when the laws and rules were broken. Students will discover 19th century laws and prison rules.
Gold the Underside: Primary and Secondary
Gold the Underside examines the underbelly of Gold. Explore the events, some of the personalities and some of the unsavoury consequences of the discovery of gold.
Ned Kelly and the Bushrangers: Primary and Secondary
Ned Kelly, the Kelly Gang, and the influence of the bushranger Harry Power on young Ned. The stories of George Melville, Wilson and Atkins, the McIvor Gold Escort Robbery and also the Plenty Bushrangers Foggarty, Jepps and Ellis’ dramatic gunfight
Crime and Punishment Primary and Secondary
The Gaol has an extensive display on penal life and punishments. Students discover how a model 19th century prison operated - the use of silence, religion, work and punishment to reform inmates. Consequences of broken rules and laws are discussed.
Women and Families Secondary
Explores many issues to do with women’s lives and the difficulties they encountered in the 19th century. Topics examined include: illiteracy; the impact of the gold rushes; the Married Women’s Property Acts; Baby-Farming; prison conditions; refuges, Ellen Kelly, Ned’s mother; and attitudes of the press and society.
Legal Studies VCE
Unit 1:The Individual and the Law
A visit to the Old Melbourne Gaol assists students to investigate the objectives of punishment and evaluate the effectiveness of prison as a sanction. The stories of inmates hanged at the Gaol provide a source of case studies for investigation in Work Requirement 2.
Unit 4: The Attainment of Justice - Processes and Procedures
Students research the stories of prisoners executed at the Old Melbourne Gaol to identify factors that limit the attainment of justice. Colin Ross was the wrong man hanged in 1922?
For bookings
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Courtroom Dramas at the Old Melbourne Gaol - Crime and Justice Experience
The former Magistrates' Court in Russell Street now offers a rich learning experience where students become active participants in a researched and scripted trial, experiencing all the drama of a courtroom in a way that can only happen when immersed in the actual physical space.
Set in the heart of Melbourne's former hub of law, order, crime and punishment this new development by the National Trust will soon see the heritage buildings of the former City Watch House, the Magistrates' Court and the infamous Old Melbourne Gaol combined into one exciting visitor experience.
All our programs and presentations will focus on contemporary issues associated with human rights, justice and citizenship.
The interactive Courtroom Dramas are based on real cases. All challenge students to explore the often-confronting complexities of law and justice in present and past Victorian communities, and with a view to the future.
Pre and post visit material is provided for each case, enabling a comprehensive understanding of the case and related issues
For bookings:
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Contact Details:
Address |
Phone |
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Russell Street, Melbourne (Between Victoria & LaTrobe Streets) |
(03) 9663 7228 |