Cascades Female Factory Historic Site

Just an amazing and harrowing story. A beautiful and minimalist reconstruction of an important part of Australian history. My daughter and I took the 1130 Notorious Strumpets & Dangerous Girls tour - fantastic experience. Our guide was Marcelle and she brought seven women to life for us, I can’t thank her enough. Thoroughly recommend this to everyone.

There is no doubt that the history of the Cascades Female Factory is tragic and deeply affecting. Learning about the lives of the female prisoners and the children born in confinement is truly heartbreaking. Their suffering, resilience, and the harsh realities they endured left a lasting impression on me. I had studied their stories before visiting, hoping to connect with the actual site where so much hardship occurred. Unfortunately, as a visitor, I was extremely disappointed. There is no clear guidance, signage, or explanation of what to expect, and when you arrive, you are essentially faced with four plain walls and a few brick outlines on the ground. The site relies entirely on your IMAGINATION to visualise the scale, structure, and conditions of the prison. There is no way to experience the environment or feel the atmosphere of the place without prior research. The ticket staff were correct in recommending a guided tour. Without it, there is almost nothing to see. Even with the tour, the main “site” consists of a vacant area, where the guide shows an A3 sheet drawing of the original prison layout. You are standing on empty land while listening to the stories, and although the narratives are compelling, the physical experience is underwhelming. I had expected to see at least one preserved room, wall, or structure, which could convey the isolation and harsh conditions these women endured. Instead, it felt like $37 was being paid to simply listen and imagine. The site could have been vastly improved with informative signage, preserved rooms, or interactive displays. The lack of tangible elements makes it hard to emotionally connect with the history, despite its importance. If you have a VIVID IMAGINATION, the visit may offer some understanding, but for most visitors, reading their stories online provides far more insight and emotional impact. In short, while the Cascades Female Factory is historically significant, the visitor experience is severely lacking, leaving much to be desired. It is a place that touches your heart in concept, but fails to deliver in practice.

This place is an absolute must if you are in Hobart. I have a thing for old gaols and asylums (weird I know) and this is the first one anywhere in the world that made me cry. Definitely do the tour the guise is amazing and very informative. If you are like me, you will leave there with a sense you have to learn more about the women that spend time there so important we learn and tell their stories. Such a sad past such a beautiful tribute to them.

Liked the impactful stories shared and experience to be within the compounds. Great to learn a bit of history and join into the tour. Friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable staff.

Much in little. Fascinating guided tour of this female prison. Our guide Marcel was warm, welcoming and knowledgeable engaging us with the tales of some on the women who came to reside here. Although not much of the original structure remains, the guided tour gave us a visualisation of the era, people and conditions. An important record of history

A must visit cultural attraction. Because there is very little physical evidence left, it's best to take the short guided tour. Our guide was brilliant. She conveyed the terrible reality of life in this place with humour and respect. The facility is modern, clean and informative. The shop has a plethora of great feminist writing, both new and old. Take your time and absorb.

I recommend joining a guided tour to have a better understanding of the history of the female factory. The visitor guide booklet is detailed to have a brief overview of the women’s experience as well.

Definitely a must see in Hobart. Amazing tour guides and a ton of history to learn. They have an audio series if you’d like to wander on your own.

This UNESCO World heritage site is the best place to connect with a lesser known stories of Australia's female convicts. The story is told through bios and artifacts of the displacement, mistreatment and forced migration of convict women & girls, and their contribution to colonisation throughout the history of colonial Australia to the present day. On the journey women were divided into 2 groups depending on their behavior. The class system regulated clothing & jobs of the women while in the factory. The more trustworthy women were employed as cooks, task overseers & hospital attendants. Second class convicts made clothes for the establishment and prepared & mended linen. The crime class was sentenced to the washtub, laundering for the factory, the orphan school and the penitentiary; they also carded and spun wool. All of these tasks were subject to change at the discretion of the Principal Superintendent.

A must do for people interested in Australia's history. The highlight of this place is the interactive performance at 12 pm each day called "Her Story" which is performed by 2 actors who take you briefly through the experience of a prisoner there called "Mary". It was moving and disturbing. A story that needs to be told. A must do