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Old Melbourne Gaol
It was an amazing and chilling experience. I highly recommend to pay a visit and learn more our history.
Old Melbourne Gaol: Admission Tickets
+3 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 2–3 hours
- Price from
- $27 / person
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
- Rating
- 4.5 / 5 · 73 reviews
- Group
- 1–15 pax
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- National Trust of Australia (Victoria)
Description
Visit Old Melbourne Gaol, Melbourne’s oldest and most feared prison since 1845. Discover where some of Australia’s most infamous characters, including bushranger Ned Kelly and gangster Squizzy Taylor, spent time behind bars. With your ticket, explore the three levels of the original gaol, see the gallows where over 100 people met their fate, and discover Ned Kelly’s death mask. Learn about the Women and Children of the gaol with special displays tracing their history. General Admission to the Gaol includes self guided access to the Gaol, access to download the Audio Guide App and a National Trust Souvenir, which could consist of a tote bag, keyring or stuffed toy dependent on availability. The Old Melbourne Gaol is a short walk from Melbourne Central Station. Or catch the free City Circle Tram to stop number seven on the corner of La Trobe and Russell Streets.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Every day
- Start times
- 10:00 AM
- Next available
- Wed, Oct 14
- Adult (ages 16–64)
- $27
- Child (ages 5–15)
- $16
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 13.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Old Melbourne Gaol
The Old Melbourne Gaol is Melbourne’s home of crime since 1845 and the city’s most feared destination. A place of more than 130 executions — including infamous bushranger’s Ned Kelly — visitors can learn about the site’s rich criminal history, experience what it was like for the men and women held there, and discover the stories that never left. With your ticket, explore the three levels of the original gaol, see the gallows where over 100 people met their fate, and discover Ned Kelly’s death mask. Learn about the Women and Children of the gaol with special displays tracing their history. General Admission to the Gaol includes self guided access to the Gaol, access to download the Audio Guide App and a National Trust Souvenir, which could consist of a tote bag, keyring or stuffed toy dependent on availability.
What's included
Included
Admission Ticket
Audio Guide
Not included
Transportation to/from attraction
Hotel pickup & drop-off
Food & Drink
Add on tours are able to be purchased on site.
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.5
73 reviews
How it compares in Melbourne
- Starting price $27 is 58% below the typical $64 for tours of similar length in Melbourne
Excurgo comparison of 839 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The Gaol offers partial wheelchair accessibility, but please note that some areas, such as stairs and upper levels, may limit access.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Old Melbourne Gaol: Admission Tickets take?
Old Melbourne Gaol: Admission Tickets lasts about 2–3 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does Old Melbourne Gaol: Admission Tickets cost?
Prices start at $27 per person for this Melbourne experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Old Melbourne Gaol: Admission Tickets run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 10:00 AM.
How much does Old Melbourne Gaol: Admission Tickets cost for children?
Children aged 5–15 pay from $16, adults from $27.
Can I cancel Old Melbourne Gaol: Admission Tickets for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Wheelchair accessible The Gaol offers partial wheelchair accessibility, but please note that some areas, such as stairs and upper levels, may limit access.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Old Melbourne Gaol: Admission Tickets worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.5 out of 5 across 73 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by National Trust of Australia (Victoria).
Reviews(73)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
P
Watch House tour was a highlight
A great museum (though I prefer a guided tour rather than just an audio guide). The Watch House tour was excellent - special thanks to Sergeant Finch (22 April) who was knowledgeable, formidable and very witty, and seemed like she genuinely loved her job.
J
Very good
Educational enjoyed the history don't get tours like this in the UK
G
Watch House Fun
The Gaol was very informative and interesting. The add on watch house experience was definitely worth it. Our guide played her character so well.
E
A place that's hard to leave
A really interesting historic building and some excellent explanations of the social attitudes towards those convicted of crime. There are audio guides and tours (we did Watch house experience and Gaol tour but there other). The Watch house was particularly involving and I would recommend it for adults and children. Remember to do what the sergeant "tells you" to do, and no exceptions 🙂. You could easily spend more than 3 hours here, particularly if you partake in the tours.
F
Super fun,,1 great host 1 tired host
2 parts to this review We learned quite a bit and had a great time. Highly recommend doing both hosted options as only $5 more Sergeant Katherine ( i think ) arrested us and gave us the first private tour. She was fantastic! Bruce on the second tour was informative and interesting but just seemed a bit scripted and stale.
M
Great History
We did a self guided tour. The history learnt is amazing, but the conditions prisoners lived in were very harsh and basic, whether it was male, female or child, all treated the same. We are glad the Victorian government didn't demolish all the goal by keeping one wing for us to learn so much about our past
J
Underwhelming and not worth the money compared to other activities in the area. Especially if you only have a few days in Melbou
Not much to see, the guided your was so boring, I ended up leaving the group, there is one building with cell blocks to see and thats it, the rest of the jail has been turned into modern office buildings which is not part of the tour. definitely not worth the money, especially that you can visit the massive Melbourne museum for $18, don't waste your time. In saying this, all the staff were lovely and also the guide was really friendly, this is not a personal attack, just an honest review.
M
Nice visit
The building was quite small. There were three levels for us to explore. We could visit different tiny cells and read stories of different prisoners and their historical backgrounds. We downloaded the app and used own phone to have a self-audio tour. We could enter one specific cell and take role as prisoner in the third level. Quite interesting to take a photo. Nice visit but price was little bit high.
M
Worth a visit but a little pricey compared to other sightseeing places
Worth a visit although a little on the pricey side at $38 for an adult ticket. There are 3 levels to explore and it is possible to go into different cells and read stories about some of the inmates. The building is quite small and so you don’t need to spend a lot of time looking around. It might be worth joining a tour to get more detailed information. Across the road there is a nice cafe which I visited afterwards. There are also other good attractions at a walkable distance from the jail.
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from$27
4.5(73) Free cancellation