Cascades Female Factory Historic Site

We opted for the one-hour storytelling tour and it was absolutely wonderful. Our guide was incredibly informative and genuinely passionate, bringing to life the powerful stories of seven convict women who passed through the factory. The way the history was shared was both compelling and moving, and it gave us a real sense of the women’s strength, resilience, and experiences. Such an important piece of history, presented in a thoughtful and engaging way. Highly recommended. Thank you for a fantastic experience!

What what a fabulous experience! I booked a ‘Convict Women’s Tour’ and was lucky enough to have the lovely Fin as my guide. He explained the history of the factory, about the process of the arrival, living and working conditions of the women that were transported to Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania). This Women’s convict jail was extremely interesting to me as one of my ancestors had been transported here. Mark, also a tour guide explained to me about any babies born to the convicts and how there were nurseries, a plaque and a memorial wall in the yard adjacent to the impressive information centre. After the tour I was lucky enough again to have the lovely Fin assist me in the Matron’s Cottage where there are computers to do research on female convicts sent to the colony of New South Wales, Australia and how I can access the records at home. Just excellent! There are several different tours to take and the choice of books to buy is excellent. I purchased the Convict Cookery book. Fascinating!

Absolutely worth every cent to go through and hear the stories of the women whom walked through the doors in that past. Absolutely heartbreaking! The staff were fantastic and stayed back a few minutes to make sure I got to see both sides. They were all so kind, had incredible knowledge and great with the kids!

We were on a little ride to the Cascade brewery and past through here on the way so decided to stopped for a visit. Booked in for the 2 pm Notorious Strumpets & Dangerous Girls tour which took about 75 minutes. The place is mostly walls and outline on the floor left, with one cottage in the corner of Yard 3&4 where our tour took place. The tour staff, Mark, was very good at story telling and make great impressions which made it fun to listen to the stories. However I'm just not the type to like sitting around for almost an hour so I didnt enjoyed that. The story of how woman in general used to be treated in the past and how much they were not allow to do just very depressing and sad! I think the self guided tour with audio I can play from my phone would have been much more enjoyable for me so I can walk around while listening to the stories. I also really enjoyed reading the stories of different woman who was here on a little plated cards scattered around the place. Overall a place full of important histories!

For a site with so few building remains, its story has you grounded in the moment, taking in the conditions and experience of female convicts. I highly recommend taking in a tour. It makes everything make sense and are free with bookings. A well organise and moving experience.

This museum has been very thoughtfully curated and tells the stories of these women very well. If you're in Hobart make time to go to this museum and allow two to the hours at least. There are tours which I think are a must.

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.

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 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