Old Melbourne Gaol Education Programs

Education program VIC

Students learn through the history of the Gaol about the key moments in Melbourne's cultural and social history.

The Old Melbourne Gaol is a former prison that was open from 1845 to 1924, during which more than 50,000 prisoners passed through its imposing bluestone walls, some never to leave. The Gaol was the site of 133 executions, including, most famously, Ned Kelly.  

Students will be transported back in time to witness the harsh day-to-day life of inmates, learning about everything from their food allowances to the rules they had to follow. Students will encounter case studies both devastating and dastardly, with inmates charged with vagrancy (homelessness) being housed alongside bushrangers and murderers. Tailored, curriculum-aligned tours for Levels 5 and up; this is an experience not to miss! 

Old Melbourne Gaol Education Programs

*These programs will conclude in 2024

Just Another Outlaw? - new program Term 1 2025

Level 5-6

Explore the legend of Ned Kelly through object-based learning with this hands-on discovery trail. Understand the story of the famed bushranger and explore the Old Melbourne Gaol to discover evidence and decide whether Ned was simply another outlaw, or something more. Students will engage with primary and secondary sources, both trustworthy and biased, within the Old Melbourne Gaol to determine their point of view, using the evidence to create an argument either supporting or refuting the statement “Ned Kelly was just another outlaw”.

Curriculum Links
SubjectStrandSub-strandContent descriptionsStudents will…
HistoryHistorical knowledge and understandingAustralia (1800–1900)the continuities and changes associated with significant developments or events on a colonyDiscover the consequences of the Gold Rush on Melbourne including the boom and bust.
VC2HH6K03
   the role of significant individuals or groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, local-born colonists and migrants, on the development of or events in a colonyExamine the role of Ned Kelly in the development of the colony of Victoria.
VC2HH6K05
   different interpretations of a significant historical development in a colony during the 19th centuryUsing historical stories and primary sources, students will develop and consider their response to the following statement: “Ned Kelly was just another outlaw.”
VC2HH6K06
 Historical Concepts and SkillsHistorical Questionsask and develop historical questions to direct historical investigationsAsk their guide questions to inform an argument for or against the statement: “Ned Kelly was just another outlaw.”
VC2HH6S01
Civics and CitizenshipKnowledge and UnderstandingLaws and Citizenshow and why laws are enforced and the roles and responsibilities of key institutions, such as the police, courts and other parts of the legal systemUnderstand the role that police play in the enforcement of law.
VC2HC6K04
Further Program Information
Available:Monday – Friday during school terms.
Duration:1 hour
Capacity:15-30 students per group.
Teacher/carer:student ratio:1:12
Resources:Social script for parents and teachers of students on the autism spectrum.

Teachers will receive a detailed resource pack that includes suggested pre- and post-visit activities upon booking.
Cost2024 dates: $12 per student. 2025 dates: $14 per student.
Saftey Click here to access the Old Melbourne Gaol Task Risk Assessment document.
Accessibility:The ground floor of the gaol is accessible, the two upper floors are accessible only by staircase.
BookingsTo book in:
Online booking form

For enquiries:
Email bookings@nattust.com.au
Phone: (03)9656 9889

Crime and Punishment – new program coming Term 1 2025

VCE Legal Studies and Sociology

Uncover past punishments in this tour of the Old Melbourne Gaol. Discuss corporal punishments such as the cane and the infamous cat-o-nine-tails; solitary confinement, and capital punishment. Be introduced to case studies such as that of wrongly accused and executed Colin Campbell Ross, and discuss the implications of sentencing and punishments, questioning whether justice was served in the Gaol.

Curriculum Links
UnitArea of StudyKey Knowledge and SkillsStudents will...
Unit 1Legal FoundationsThe role of individuals, laws and the legal system in achieving social cohesion and protecting the rights of individualsConsider if the Gaol worked as a way to deter people from a life of crime.
Unit 1, 2 The principles of justice: fairness, equality and accessConsider the questions – was the Gaol a fair place? Did it achieve justice?
Unit 1The Presumption of InnocenceTypes of crime such as crimes against the person and crimes against propertyStudy the case of Ned Kelly as an example of crimes against the person.
Unit 2SanctionsTypes of sanctions such as fines, community correction orders and imprisonmentLearn about the many different sanctions within the walls of the Gaol including corporal punishment, solitary confinement, hard labour, and capital punishment.
Unit 2, 3 The purposes of sanctions: punishment, deterrence, denunciation, protection and rehabilitationUnderstand the rationale behind the Gaol; deterrence and rehabilitation and assess whether it achieved these aims.
Unit 3The Victorian Criminal Justice SystemFactors considered in sentencing, including aggravating factors, mitigating factors, guilty pleas and victim impact statementsLearn that historically, legal proceedings were not as fair as they are today, and this resulted in many more people likely to end up at the Gaol due to their gender, race, sexual orientation, political beliefs, religious beliefs, and social status.
Unit 4The People, The Parliament and The CourtsThe ability and means by which individuals can influence law reform including through petitions, demonstrations and the use of the courtsLearn about the many protests that took place outside the walls for clemency in cases such as Ned Kelly and females sentenced to death like Frances Knorr, Emma Williams and Elizabeth Scott.
SOCIOLOGY
Unit 2DevianceDeviance as a relative concept and the relationship between norms (social codes) and devianceDiscuss society in Melbourne in the 1800s, learning about crimes of desperation such as vagrancy which could earn you 12 months in prison. Learning about the 1890s economic depression in Melbourne and how that affected the prison population.
A range of factors that lead people to commit crimes, including poverty, addiction, abuse, and rebellion.Students will discuss the types of people likely to be imprisoned, paying particular attention to the poor and mistreated.
The impact of moral panic on individuals and groups considered deviant.Learn about the many women who were imprisoned at the Gaol and their supposed deviance compared to how women 'should' behave.
Crime and PunishmentAustralian data related to crime rates, including age, gender, socioeconomic status and ethnicityLink the societal changes and political climate with the demographics within prison.
The sociological concept of punishment, including the rationale and aims of punishment: retribution, deterrence, rehabilitation and societal protectionLearn about the many different punishments within the walls of the Gaol including corporal punishment, solitary confinement, hard labour and capital punishment.
Further Program Information
Available:Monday – Friday during school terms.
Duration:1 hour
Capacity:15-30 students per group.
Teacher/carer:student ratio:1:12
Resources:Social script for parents and teachers of students on the autism spectrum.

Teachers will receive a detailed resource pack that includes suggested pre- and post-visit activities upon booking.
Cost2024 dates: $12 per student. 2025 dates: $14 per student.
Saftey Click here to access the Old Melbourne Gaol Task Risk Assessment document.
Accessibility:The ground floor of the gaol is accessible, the two upper floors are accessible only by staircase.
BookingsTo book in:
Online booking form

For enquiries:
Email bookings@nattust.com.au
Phone: (03)9656 9889
Old Melbourne Gaol Education Programs

A fabulous and informative tour that aligns with learning about Australian history.

Grade 5/6 teacher, St Kieran’s Primary School, October 2023.

Historical Tour

Level 5-VCE

In this general history tour, your guide will give you an overview of the Old Melbourne Gaol from its inception in 1845 through to its closure in 1924. Discover stories of inmates, guards and governors, and learn what life was like on the inside for the over 50,000 inmates who passed through the formidable gates.

Further Program Information
Available:Monday – Friday during school terms.
Duration:1 hour
Capacity:15-30 students per group.
Teacher/carer:student ratio:1:12
Resources:Social script for parents and teachers of students on the autism spectrum.

Teachers will receive a detailed resource pack that includes suggested pre- and post-visit activities upon booking.
Cost2024 dates: $12 per student. 2025 dates: $14 per student.
Saftey Click here to access the Old Melbourne Gaol Task Risk Assessment document.
Accessibility:The ground floor of the gaol is accessible, the two upper floors are accessible only by staircase.
BookingsTo book in:
Online booking form

For enquiries:
Email bookings@nattust.com.au
Phone: (03)9656 9889

Escape Artists

Level 5-VCE

Explore the exterior of the Old Melbourne Gaol and Old City Watch House to learn about the renowned, infamous and foolhardy escape attempts. Hear stories of crawling through sewerage pipes, climbing over ten-foot-tall walls, and disguises, and the crimes of the inmates responsible.

Please note: this tour is only an exterior tour and does not go inside the Old Melbourne Gaol cell block.

Further Program Information
Available:Monday – Friday during school terms.
Duration:1 hour
Capacity:15-30 students per group.
Teacher/carer:student ratio:1:12
Resources:Social script for parents and teachers of students on the autism spectrum.

Teachers will receive a detailed resource pack that includes suggested pre- and post-visit activities upon booking.
Cost2024 dates: $12 per student. 2025 dates: $14 per student.
Saftey Click here to access the Old Melbourne Gaol Task Risk Assessment document.
Accessibility:The ground floor of the gaol is accessible, the two upper floors are accessible only by staircase.
BookingsTo book in:
Online booking form

For enquiries:
Email bookings@nattust.com.au
Phone: (03)9656 9889

Womens’ Ward

Level 7-VCE

Created in collaboration with the National Trust’s Senior Curator and Historian, this tour takes students on a journey through the gaol through the eyes of the women who resided there in the late 1800s. Discover the story of women on both sides of the bars, including the matrons and the wives and children of Governors. Explore the fate of inmates; learn about the lives they led on the outside, “crimes” they committed, their life behind bars and their fate at the end of their sentence.

Further Program Information
Available:Monday – Friday during school terms.
Duration:1 hour
Capacity:15-30 students per group.
Teacher/carer:student ratio:1:12
Resources:Social script for parents and teachers of students on the autism spectrum.

Teachers will receive a detailed resource pack that includes suggested pre- and post-visit activities upon booking.
Cost2024 dates: $12 per student. 2025 dates: $14 per student.
Saftey Click here to access the Old Melbourne Gaol Task Risk Assessment document.
Accessibility:The ground floor of the gaol is accessible, the two upper floors are accessible only by staircase.
BookingsTo book in:
Online booking form

For enquiries:
Email bookings@nattust.com.au
Phone: (03)9656 9889
Old Melbourne Gaol Education Programs

A great experience for our students to immerse them in some of Victoria’s most colourful history. Very much worthwhile.

VCE Teacher, Wanneroo Secondary College, April 2024.

History and Civics & Citizenship Education Program

Levels 5 & 6

Life was tough in Melbourne in the 1800s, nowhere more than the Gaol! Focusing on a prisoner’s journey, students will walk in an inmate’s shoes – learning about the society that condoned a prison like the Old Melbourne Gaol, discovering what crimes warranted a stay in the Gaol, who was housed there (including women and young children), how prisoners were processed, the rules that controlled daily life, the toil and suffering of hard labour, and the atrocious conditions inside the cell block. Students might hear stories of daring escapes or the dangerous landscapes of the goldfields.  

In line with changes from the Victorian Curriculum 2.0, this program will conclude in 2024

Curriculum Links
Subject Strand Sub-strand Content descriptionsOn the Old Melbourne Gaol tour students will… 
History Historical Concepts and Skills Historical Sources as Evidence Identify the origin, content features and the purpose of historical sources and describe the context of these sources when explaining daily life in colonial Australia, reasons for migration and causes and effects of Federation (VCHHC083) Be introduced to the Gaol as a historical source that details the lives of prisoners, guards, and the general societal views of prisoners. Students will interpret the architecture, historical context and the rules/laws attached to the structure to better understand colonial Victoria and beyond.  
Describe perspectives and identify ideas, beliefs and values of people and groups in the past (VCHHC084)Interpret the information provided on prisoners and Melbourne culture to understand the differences in beliefs and make deductions as to how people perceived crime and punishment in the 1800s and early 1900s.
Historical Knowledge The Australian Colonies The effects of a significant development or event on a colony (VCHHK090) Make connections between the expansion and overcrowding of the Old Melbourne Gaol in the 1850s, and the migration boom that the Gold Rush caused.  
The causes and the reasons why people migrated to Australia from Europe and Asia, and the perspectives, experiences and contributions of a particular migrant group within a colony (VCHHK091)Learn about the consequences of mass migration on Victoria’s population, understanding the desperation of the 1800s for non-European migrants, the poor, the sick and the elderly. Students will discover that certain people were more likely to end up imprisoned due to factors such as prejudice.
Civics and Citizenship Laws and Citizens Explain how and why laws are enforced and describe the roles and responsibilities of key personnel in law enforcement, and in the legal system (VCCCL013) Be introduced to a plethora of different crimes (some current and some historic), the historical punishments for those crimes and the reason why people were imprisoned for them.  
Ethical Capability Understanding Concepts  Discuss how ethical principles can be used as the basis for action, considering the influence of cultural norms, religion, world views and philosophical thought on these principles (VCECU010) Discuss the ethics of imprisonment in a place such as the Old Melbourne Gaol – many people were more likely to be imprisoned based on their skin colour, religion, country of origin and sex. Does this seem ethical? 
Further Program Information
Available:Monday – Friday during school terms.
Duration:1 hour
Capacity:15-30 students per group.
Teacher/carer:student ratio:1:12
Resources:Social script for parents and teachers of students on the autism spectrum.

Teachers will receive a detailed resource pack that includes suggested pre- and post-visit activities upon booking.
Cost2024 dates: $12 per student. 2025 dates: $14 per student.
Saftey Click here to access the Old Melbourne Gaol Task Risk Assessment document.
Accessibility:The ground floor of the gaol is accessible, the two upper floors are accessible only by staircase.
BookingsTo book in:
Online booking form

For enquiries:
Email bookings@nattust.com.au
Phone: (03)9656 9889

Legal Studies Education Program

VCE

Understanding of justice and criminality has changed a lot over the past two centuries, what was once considered “criminal” is now celebrated, and vice versa. Students will embark on a tour, learning about the cases that led people to be incarcerated at the Old Melbourne Gaol, and the punishments that ensued… The use of corporal and capital punishment alongside the regular prisoner experience will be closely examined by students, focusing on one key question: what was the purpose of the sanction and the outcome? 

In line with changes from the Victorian Curriculum 2.0, this program will conclude in 2024

Study design links for Units 1-4 Legal Studies
Subject Unit Area of Study Key Knowledge and Skills At the Old Melbourne Gaol tour students will… 
Legal Studies  Unit 1 Legal Foundations The role of individuals, laws and the legal system in achieving social cohesion and protecting the rights of individuals Consider if the Gaol work as a way to deter people from a life of crime. 
Unit 1, 2The principles of justice: fairness, equality and accessAsk the questions – was the Gaol a fair place? Did it achieve justice?
Unit 1The Presumption of InnocenceTypes of crime such as crimes against the person and crimes against propertyStudy the case of Ned Kelly as an example of crimes against the person.
Unit 2SanctionsTypes of sanctions such as fines, community correction orders and imprisonmentLearn about the many different sanctions within the walls of the Gaol including corporal punishment, solitary confinement, hard labour, and capital punishment.
Unit 2, 3The purposes of sanctions: punishment, deterrence, denunciation, protection and rehabilitationUnderstand the rationale behind the Gaol; deterrence and rehabilitation and assess whether it achieved these aims.
Unit 3The Victorian Criminal Justice SystemFactors considered in sentencing, including aggravating factors, mitigating factors, guilty pleas and victim impact statementsLearn that historically, legal proceedings were not as fair as they are today, and this resulted in a lot of people being more likely to end up at the Gaol due to their gender, race, sexual orientation, political beliefs, religious beliefs, and social status.
Unit 4 The People, The Parliament and The Courts The ability and means by which individuals can influence law reform including through petitions, demonstrations and the use of the courts Learn about the many protests that took place outside the walls for clemency in cases such as Ned Kelly and females sentenced to death like Frances Knorr, Emma Williams and Elizabeth Scott.   
Further Program Information
Available:Monday – Friday during school terms.
Duration:1 hour
Capacity:15-30 students per group.
Teacher/carer:student ratio:1:12
Resources:Social script for parents and teachers of students on the autism spectrum.

Teachers will receive a detailed resource pack that includes suggested pre- and post-visit activities upon booking.
Cost2024 dates: $12 per student. 2025 dates: $14 per student.
Saftey Click here to access the Old Melbourne Gaol Task Risk Assessment document.
Accessibility:The ground floor of the gaol is accessible, the two upper floors are accessible only by staircase.
BookingsTo book in:
Online booking form

For enquiries:
Email bookings@nattust.com.au
Phone: (03)9656 9889

The Ned Kelly Experience

Tour and Court Room Drama

We’ve all heard his name, and now students are given the chance to walk in Ned’s footsteps. This program brings the story of the famed bushranger to life! Students will reenact the court trial that saw Ned sent to the gallows at the Former Magistrates Court of Melbourne, dressing up and playing the roles of infamous Judge Redmond Barry, lawyers, police witnesses and Ned himself. Following the trial, students will be guided around the Old Melbourne Gaol, learning of Ned’s last stand at Glenrowan, his time spent at the Gaol and what happened to his body after his death (you might get to try on a suit of armour)!

This experience is one not to be missed! 

In line with changes from the Victorian Curriculum 2.0, this program will conclude in 2024

Further Program Details
Available:Monday – Friday during school terms.
Duration:2 hours. 1.25 hour court room drama and 45 minute tour.
Numbers:15-30 students per session. 1:12 teacher/carer to student ratio. 
Resources:Social script for parents and teachers of students on the autism spectrum.
Cost:$20 per student.
Safety:Click here to access the Old Melbourne Gaol Task Risk Assessment document.
Bookings:To book in:
Online booking form

For enquiries:
Email bookings@nattust.com.au
Phone: (03)9656 9889
Old Melbourne Gaol Education Programs

Plan your visit

Old Melbourne Gaol Education Programs

Address:

377 Russell Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Phone:
9656 9800
Email:
bookings@nattrust.com.au
Website:
https://www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au/
What we offer:

“Our Year 9 students had a wonderful time at the Old Melbourne Gaol Tour. The tour guides were engaging, kind and supportive of our student’s needs. We would 100% book tours again!”

Year 9 teacher, November 2023

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Student Resources

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How was the Gaol run?

Scroll through the narrative galleries below to explore how the Melbourne Gaol represented nineteenth century ideas of using punishment as a way of reforming

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Who was sent to the Gaol?

Scroll through the narrative galleries below to explore the reasons why many different types of people might end up in gaol in the second half of the

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Why was the Gaol built?

Scroll through the narrative galleries below to discover the story of the Melbourne Gaol and where it sits within Victoria’s criminal justice history.

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Virtually There 3D Resources

Take a virtual visit of our historic sites using new 3D technology. This application lets you wander around our sites and see them just as though you could

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3D Interactive Court Room

Click here to open the Interactive Court Room. The Judge presides over the court and deals with any legal issues that arise during the

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Old Melbourne Gaol Program Overview

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