I recommend a visit to the Old Melbourne gaol when in Melbourne. The tour with expert commentary is quite interesting and educational with talks about various inmates the most famous of which is Ned Kelly. Jails were tough places then

We had a trip to the old jail. Troy was our guide and he made it so enjoyable. He was a really funny guide and kept us entertained with stories and anecdotes. Inside it was interesting to get a feel of what life was like on the inside, some good exhibits. All in all an afternoon well spent.

Wonderful visit today. We traveled to Melbourne from Manchester England , and our visit to the old Gaol was one of the highlights. As English National trust members , we appreciate the work and effort by all the staff who give their time to this wonderful organisation!! Without them the buildings & history they protect would vanish and be lost. I would personally like to thank the ladies on the front desk , who welcomed us as English members, and showed great interest in our National trust and in my wife & I’s personal life . Thanks to them we enjoyed every minute of our visit and took away a little bit more of Australia’s wonderful history. Thank you ladies.

The Old Melbourne Gaol is sinister, but it is quite fascinating. It was Melbourne's principal gaol for many years, when the prisoners were locked up in tiny cells. Many prisoners were hanged there, including Australia's most famous bushranger, Ned Kelly. Many of the prisoners were pathetic, they were obviously mentally ill. The Old Melbourne Gaol is one of Melbourne's top tourist attractions, be sure to book in advance.

Very interesting old jail to visit right in the middle of the city. Lots of historical stories about prisoners who were there throughout the ages. We got there too late for a guided tour but were able to download an audio tour which was very interesting. Definitely a must see in Melbourne.

Thoroughly enjoyed the City Watch House tour this morning. Our “Charge Sergeant” tour guide was fantastic. She was in character from the moment we began and set the perfect atmosphere. She was incredibly knowledgeable and informative.

The extra tour about people who escaped from the gaol, is great value and very interesting. The guide gave graphic descriptions of criminals planning, researching and escaping through sewerage pipes, and being captured again! She pointed out way the design of the old gaol was pyschological as well as physical punishment, things you might not see just looking yourself.

As I love a bit of grisly history, this place was right up my street. Famous as the hanging place of Ned Kelly, it's steeped with history & possibly the ghosts of the many unfortunates who died within its walls. Inside are many cells on three levels, most of which are devoid of anything except the scratchings on the walls & doors from times gone by. Some have furnishings of the time & others have displays or boards with information. There are lots of 'death masks' & a replica of the sort of armour Ned Kelly would've worn. Not for the faint hearted, but I was fascinated (in a macabre way) by where the hangings took place. The trap door, the workings of it from above & below (my engineer husband was practically interested in how it worked) & just the overall eerie feel. Very sad & sobering to think of the terror those poor souls must've felt facing that fate. There's a free tour around the outside of the building that is definitely worth doing - it gives you more stories of life in the gaol, attempted escapes & a view of the amazing architecture, as well as some awesome trees.

My 18 year old daughter and myself went to Old Melbourne Gaol today. We both loved it. We did The Watch House Tour and The Escape Artists Tour as well as a self guided tour through the Gaol. $5 per person per tour so all up an extra $20. We were there for quite a few hours and took our time to read the history in a lot of the cells. Interesting and entertaining. The architecture is fascinating. Lots of stairs to walk up to level 2 and 3. We went during school hours - not too many people when we first arrived however quite a few large school groups arrived while we were there. A bit noisy and a little challenging to get around them.

Visited today. Staff were really friendly (not used to this being from England and all) not great for babies as you would imagine, my 8 year old had no interest either but my 18 year old nephew loved it, my dad and myself liked it too. Creepy death masks.. some which seemed to have hairs in them still from the original casting. Really cool to read the stories about the prisoners, Inc the famous Ned Kelly. Didn’t manage the watch tower tour just with having a baby and all. Highly recommend. Short walk up from Melbourne central station.