Spending Time in the Old Melbourne Gaol
Whether you’re a young celebrity recently sentenced to ninety days in jail, or a traveler who has never once been accused of a crime, you might enjoy a trip to Melbourne, Australia, where you can go back in time and find out what it was like to take that last walk to the gallows in a 19th Century prison, or to be arrested in a contemporary police station, all possible with a ticket to the Old Melbourne Gaol Crime and Justice Experience .
Constructed in the mid 1840s, the Old Melbourne Gaol used to be the dominant feature of the city’s skyline. It operated between 1842 to 1929, closing as a prison 81 years ago, and is considered a landmark site, the centerpiece of vital moments in history. One hundred and thirty-five people were hanged here, including an infamous bushranger known as Ned Kelly.
Coming from troubled parents, Kelly was the son of an Irish convict who became a fugitive in 1878; he was hunted by police and captured in a shootout in which the rest of his gang were killed. The revolver he used in that gun battle is still on display at the jail to this day. He was hanged in 1880, and he spent his days here while his mother served time in the women’s wing. You’ll also find Ned’s death mask, a stark reminder of where crime may lead.
If you’re free to travel to a Melbourne hotel now or in ninety days, you’ll find a fascinating experience waiting inside the Old Melbourne Gaol, the historic Magistrate’s Court and former Police City Watch House on Russell Street.
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