Old Melbourne Gaol
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The Old Melbourne Gaol was built in between 1841-64 and is made of bluestone. It accommodated short-term prisoners, lunatics and some of the colony's most notorious criminals. The building still stands witness to the historical past of the jail which was a setting for 135 hangings, most famously that of Ned Kelly, Australia's most famous outlaw, in 1880.
The Old Melbourne Gaol was also in focus during some of Australia's most significant historical moments like the Gold Rush, the Eureka Stockade Rebellion and the World War II when the gaol was briefly reopened as a military detention barrack. There are books on display describing experiences of Australian, German, Italian and American military prisoner at that time which the visitors can read to relive the past.
With such a strong association with executions, the Old Melbourne Gaol, has on the exhibition list Art of Hanging featuring the Hangman's Box and its contents showcasing how the hangings took place. Also on display is a book named Particulars of Execution filled with gory details of the last minutes of those who were hanged.
Other than going through the experiences of the detainees and the hanged persons in the displayed testimonies, the visitors can wander through the rooms and corridors of the gaol packed with death masks, lashing triangles, cat-of-nine tails, armor and the scaffold on which Ned Kelly was hanged.
The candlelit 'Night Tour' of the Old Melbourne Gaol is perhaps one of the most famous Melbourne tourist attractions. This is a beautifully enacted tour of the prison carried by the staff full of dramatics. Visitors explore the Old Melbourne Goal at night, when it would normally be closed for the restless spirits within, with a blend of theatrical and historical facts from the narrator, making the past alive.
A trip to the Old Melbourne Gaol is truly unique given that it is not just a museum with certain facts on display. It is rather a museum where the visitors can relive the past of the ex-inmates of the jail. This makes the Old Melbourne Gaol a very popular place for sightseeing in Melbourne.
The Old Melbourne Gaol is open daily from 9:30a.m. To 5:30p.m. It is however closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day.
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