Cascades Female Factory Historic Site Entry with Audio Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore the historic Cascades Female Factory
- Learn about convict women’s history in Tasmania
- Visit the Wall of Women memorial
- Discover the site’s UNESCO World Heritage status
- Enjoy a self-paced audio tour experience
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Entry to the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site
- Audio tour available in English and one other language
- Access to all public areas of the site
- Guided tours led by staff
Itinerary
The World Heritage-listed Cascades Female Factory tells the story of the dispossession, mistreatment and forced migration of Australian convict women and girls, and their contribution to colonisation throughout the history of colonial Australia to the present day.
Meeting point
Start Location
16 Degraves St, South Hobart, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Important information
Know before you book
- The audio tour is available in English and one other language; check availability in your preferred language.
- The site is wheelchair accessible; however, some areas may be challenging due to uneven terrain.
- Pets are not allowed on the premises.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes as the site involves walking on uneven surfaces.
- Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated during your visit.
- Check the weather forecast and dress appropriately for the conditions.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Stroller Accessible
- Service Animals Allowed
- Easy Public Transport
Traveler reviews
Must see experience
This is a truly amazing experience. Our guides were knowledgeable & empathetic to the history. A must do for everyone & definitely suggest doing the tour with the guides.
An insight into my convict ancestors
Visited lutruwita/Tasmania to learn more about my convict ancestry and visiting Cascades was a big part of that. Our guide was Marcelle and she was fantastic at explaining the history and sharing the stories of the women who were imprisoned here (also finding out about and including my ancestors in her tour). Gave me a new appreciation of what my ancestors went through.
Hidden history
Booked a tour with the very helpful gentleman on reception. Very poignant. Glad I went. An education.
Informative Tour
This site was our first introduction to the time when convicts were "exported" from the UK as part of the punishment for their crimes. Cascades Female Factory was sold off and mostly dismantled after it closed down. The government had to purchase back most of the property and return it to the original state to open the site for historical visits. We took bus 446 (free pending the outcome of the US-Iran war) from near our hotel and it got us there in around 15 minutes. There were two guided tour options offered (1) Notorious Strumpets and Dangerous Girls which was focused on specific women's stories and (2) Convict Women's Tour which provided an overview of life, hardships, conditions and more inside. Each focused on different parts of the factory so it was best to arrive at least 30 minutes early or stay after the tour to see the part of the factory not covered in the guided tour. Good signage were posted throughout the site along with many individual profiles of the women convicts. There wasn't much to see (mostly walls, building outlines and one original home) but the tour guides brought the history and the stories of some of the female convicts to life. Very harsh living conditions, extreme penalties, abuse and heartbreaking separation from the children were conveyed throughout the tour. Well worth a visit if you have time in Hobart. If you have the Port Arthur Historic Site Ticket of Leave (housed the male convicts) then you can visit this site for free.
Limited ruins to see, imagination needed. So sad it wasn’t preserved.
While there is not a lot of structures to see you can use your imagination to put walls etc where they should be. This is a place I have wanted to visit for a long time, and it was quite moving to hear the stories. The little flip up plaques with individual women’s stories helps to understand the different crimes that had them sent to this far away land. I did the guided tour but enjoyed my time being able to wander freely between the yards, museum and matrons house. Humans are our own worst enemies destroying our history to try and forget the bad things that happened. But we can show that these women are not forgotten by visiting this site and learning a little bit of why they ended up there in the first place.