prison tour coburg

Experience the infamous HISTORY OF Pentridge Prison

From the time spent inside by some of Australia’s most notorious criminals to the anecdotes and lived experiences of thousands of people over several generations; the National Trust hosts explorative tours that will immerse you in a shared history of unsettling truths.

This is an invitation for curious minds to learn about a past that is confronting to discover, yet crucial to not forget. 

B division tour, h division tour, family tour.

B Division Pentridge Through time

H-division unlocked, prisonbreak explorers family tour, night tours a discomforting experience, getting here.

Go to Warders for all Tours & Ticketing. This is where you’ll meet your guide

The night tours

Explore another side of Pentridge—where unspoken secrets come to life. Stories gathered over the years from guards and inmates, acknowledge the confronting history while raising deeper questions.

The Warders Building

Head to the Warders building to meet your tour guide. This is where you also purchase or collect your tour ticket.

Browse the Pentridge-related book selection or head to Warders Upstairs and spend time exploring the exhibition and collection space.

Tours & Ticketing

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Pentridge Prison Tours National Trust of Australia (Victoria)

Pentridge prison tours.

This is a place that challenges and confronts, deeply connected to the social and cultural fabric of Australia. The stories within this journey are deep, unique, and expose the intricacies of prison punishment. Visitors are able to explore the former prison’s B Division and the notorious H Division. Nights tours and family-friendly tours are also offered.

Established in 1851 and largely constructed in the period 1858 – 64, Pentridge is the largest prison complex constructed in Victoria in the 19th century, and operated as the central establishment in the wider prison system from the early 1860s. The complex of buildings, which remain on site, demonstrate a number of phases in the development of the penal system, including the ‘separate system’, which dominated penology in Victoria in the 19th century.

Until its closure in 1996, Pentridge was Victoria’s central prison and the most well-known and used gaol in the State’s history. Most of Victoria’s convicted and notorious criminals were gaoled there between 1900 and the 1990s. In 1967, Ronald Ryan, who was convicted of the murder of a prison officer during an escape from Pentridge, became the last person in Victoria to be hanged at Pentridge.

Celebrating 50 years of the Victorian Heritage Register 

Event dates

Event details.

Tours start at the Warders Residence, in the grassed courtyard beyond the Clock Tower.

Here you collect your ticket & meet your guide.

Monday, Thursday, Friday: 10:00am-4:00pm Saturday & Sunday: 10:00am-5:00pm Night Tours Thursday to Saturday: 6:30pm & 8:30pm

• Refreshments Available
• Accessible toilets

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Arts & entertainment, design & style, travel & leisure, search concrete playground, you'll soon be able to take a guided tour of coburg's notorious pentridge prison.

The famed site is launching immersive daily tours, bringing history to life via original scores, true stories and voiceovers.

You've likely caught a flick at the cinema there (indoors and out ) or maybe even sipped beers in the courtyard of its newest resident, BrewDog . But come autumn, Melburnians will have a brand-new — and somewhat eerie — reason to visit Coburg's historic bluestone Pentridge Prison precinct.

From Wednesday, March 1, the prison itself will be throwing open the doors and kicking off daily guided tours , diving deep into the heritage-listed site's dark past. There'll be two 90-minute experiences running, touring B-Division and H-Division (also known as Hell Division), both delivered in collaboration with the National Trust Victoria and award-winning creative tech company Art Processors. The latter's work has featured at the likes of Mona, the Australian Sports Museum and the Sydney Opera House.

Visitors are in for an intriguing humanised history fix, with immersive audio elements and voiceovers by the likes of the late Uncle Jack Charles, a former inmate, and celebrated Indigenous Australian actress and director Rachael Maza.

You'll hear first-hand accounts of time spent within the walls of the prison since it opened in 1851, encountering plenty of grisly truths and out-there history along the way — including the questionable treatment of its First Nations prisoners.

Both tours will kick off exploring the multimedia exhibition in the former Warders' Residence, before heading off on a guided jaunt where the site's notorious history is brought to life via original scores, true stories and engaging installations.

You'll have the chance to see the prison's panopticon, known as the 'airing yards', and to wander through the original cells of B-Division. And, if you're ok with getting a little darker, you can tour the somewhat grimmer high-security unit of H-Division, with its observation cells and breaking yards.

"The National Trust Victoria believes that for too long, these stories have been shrouded in mystery and although the past is confronting, it is crucial that we do not forget the realities of those who were incarcerated, and we respectfully learn and share their truths," says Simon Ambrose, CEO National Trust Victoria.

Pentridge Prison Tours will launch daily from Wednesday, March 1 at Pentridge Prison, Coburg. Tickets are available online from Thursday, February 23.

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Pentridge Prison B Division Tours - April 2024 - June 2024

Explore the sombre complexity behind this heritage-listed prison’s past.

Select date and time

• Thursday April 18 10:30 AM
• Thursday April 18 12:30 PM
• Thursday April 18 2:30 PM
• Friday April 19 10:30 AM
• Friday April 19 11:30 AM
• More options

Refund Policy

About this event, b division - pentridge through time.

Experience a century and a half of inmate and warder history, and the changing models of justice over time from 1851 to 1997. Retrace the footsteps of masked inmates under the all-seeing eye of the guard’s watchtower. Step into the cells of B Division and feel history take hold.

B Division Tours' run for approximately 90 minutes and include a guided and self-guided component.

Discounts' apply for combo tours of both B & H Divisions.

For Combo Tour ticketing, please CLICK HERE

For h division tour ticketing, please click here ..

Pre-bookings are highly recommended.

IMPORTANT VISITOR INFORMATION:

• All tours start at the tour office, located in the Former Warders Residence. Meet here to find your National Trust tour guide. Warders can be found in the grassed courtyard area at the Clock Tower entrance at 1 Champ St, Coburg.
• Parking can be found under the shopping centre via Whatmore Drive. As you come out of this car park, make your way to the ground floor via the elevators. Make your way towards the south sliding doors next to Cobrick cafe; and walk towards the Clock Tower, which should be on your right-hand-side, and you will find the tour office in the grassed courtyard area.
• The parking area features multiple designated parking spaces for individuals with mobility disabilities. All tours have been equipped with ramps and other access points to ensure access for wheelchair users.
• Please arrive 15mins before allocated tour start time.
• Both B Division & H Division tours have outside elements to them. In the instance of changeable weather, we recommend bringing a jacket and possibly an umbrella.
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The history, heritage, and restoration of Pentridge.

Established in 1851, pentridge is a state significant, heritage listed former prison site..

Over almost 150 years, the word ‘Pentridge’ became eponymous with prison. Following the closure of the Melbourne Gaol in the 1920s, Pentridge became the main remand and reception prison for the Melbourne metropolitan area.

Pentridge has housed some of Australia’s most infamous criminals and forms an emotional and dark place in many hearts and minds.

Pentridge is now at the beginning of a new chapter, undergoing a revival as a destination and meeting place.

The prison finally closed in 1997. At its end, the conditions within were outdated and not up to any modern standard.

The Victorian Government sold the prison in 1999 and since then the prison has seen several different owners.

Purchased by the Shayher Group in 2013, in a derelict state, the depth of the site’s cultural significance has guided its redevelopment.

By changing the perspective from a derelict site to one of Melbourne’s cultural assets, the iconic bluestone walls of Pentridge live on to see a new era.

There are many stories to be shared, there is much to learn and reflect on, as we acknowledge the history entrenched at Pentridge.

Preserving the past

Pentridge’s past is riddled with suffering, of which we remain respectful. Areas of historical significance remain protected and heritage elements are being retained to serve as a humbling reminder of the past. We seek to create a place that recognises the importance of Pentridge’s past, whilst welcoming a new community of residents, locals, and visitors.

The  Conservation Management Plan  sets out the basis for the preservation of the physical environment at Pentridge. The  Heritage Interpretation Masterplan  sets out our approach to showcasing and interpreting the history and heritage of Pentridge.

Pentridge Prison Tours launched in 2023, giving all a chance to look inside the walls of one of Australia’s most infamous prisons.

The history of Pentridge

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Pentridge Partners

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Pentridge Prison D Division Ghost Tour VICTORIA

• Duration: 2 Hours
• Location : Melbourne, VIC

Departs Pentridge Prison D Division Corner Urquhart Street & Wardens Walk South, Coburg

Walk in the footsteps of notorious Chopper Reed, discover the famous outlaw Ned Kelly’s remains and experience the final moments of Ronald Ryan, the last man to be executed in Australia. With 44 bodies buried on on-site and a who’s who of Australia’s criminal underworld calling Pentridge home, it's no wonder the building is haunted by its past. Be incarcerated at Pentridge Prison, home to Australia’s hardest and longest serving prisoners.

Tours run every Friday, Saturday & Sunday evening. 

Approximate   Duration:  1.5 hours

Venue: Mainly Indoors 

**Ages 16+ **

No refunds. Change of date permitted with a minimum of 48 hours notice  BEFORE your scheduled experience for a fee of $5 per order. New date  must be chosen at time of reschedule. Non-attendance and late  cancellation voids your order. 

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Inner City North

North&COMMON

Good for special occasions

Great for fine wines

• Neighborhood gem

Make a reservation

Dining areas.

• North & Common Outdoor Dining
• North & Common Indoor Dining
• The Long Hall

Additional information

• Dining style Casual Elegant
• Price $41 to $100
• Cuisines Modern Australian, Bistro
• Hours of operation Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:00 am Lunch Sat 12:00 pm–2:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
• Phone number (03) 9100 9000
• Website https://northandcommon.com.au/?utm_source=opentable&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=northandcommon
• Payment options Mastercard, Visa
• Dress code Smart Casual
• Location 1 Pentridge Blvd, Coburg, AU-VIC 3058
• Neighborhood Coburg
• Cross street Champ Street and Pentridge Blvd. Enter through the Pentridge Piazza
• Parking details Street Parking
• Public transit 19 Tram
• Additional Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wine

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Experiences

$59 locals menu.

A$59.00 per person

Saturday Lunch and Pentridge Tour Package

A$89.00 per person

Thursday Dinner and Pentridge Tour Package

Light Lunch Selection A$59.00

To start N&C charcuterie board, featuring locally sourced cured and dried meats, house made preserves, Cobb Lane sourdough & cultured butter. A choice of main: Lion’s Mane Mushroom, Black Barley, Chestnut, Thyme. Rock Flathead, Cauliflower, Lemon Butter. Roasted 1⁄2 Hazeldenes Chicken, Shallot, Cos.

FOUR COURSE SHARED A$95.00

Our Spring menu is a collection of our favourite dishes from our favourite producers and farmers. Get comfortable, relax and leave all the hard decisions to us. Start with light snacks for the table, followed by shared entree & main course, finished with individual desserts.

What 207 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews.

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

• 4.4 Service
• 4.5 Ambience

Noise • Moderate

Dined 7 days ago

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How is North&COMMON restaurant rated?

North&COMMON is rated 4.5 stars by 207 OpenTable diners.

Does North&COMMON offer gift cards?

North&COMMON does offer gift cards which you can purchase here .

Is North&COMMON currently accepting reservations?

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

1 Pentridge Blvd, Coburg, AU-VIC 3058

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Exploring Pentridge Prison: Uncover the Dark Secrets with Captivating Tours in Coburg

A handy guide for parents: exploring the historic pentridge prison tours coburg.

Table of Contents

Hello amazing parents! Welcome to the exciting world of history, curiosity and learning. Strap in as we take a journey through the yesteryears and introduce our children to the intriguing maze of the old prison system. Specifically, we will be talking about the famous Pentridge Prison Tours in Coburg! This educational and historically-riveting trip isn’t just an outing, it’s also an immersive learning experience that offers valuable insights into Australia’s rich history.

Understanding the Pentridge Prison

Before we delve into the nitty gritty of organizing a field trip to the Pentridge Prison, let us begin by understanding what it stands for. Operating from 1851 until 1997, the Pentridge Prison was once the central cog in Victoria’s penal system. Today, it serves as a standing testament to Australia’s past, offering guided tours that penetrate its grim yet fascinating tales.

Why Opt For A Tour with the Children?

Great question! Kids are like sponges – eager to learn and absorb the world around them. A tour at the Pentridge Prison allows them to absorb a detailed, significant part of Australia’s history that isn’t often covered in textbooks. It offers a sneak peek into the darker side of history, facilitating discussions around law, morality, and societal norms – all while exploring the hauntingly austere environs of a prison.

What to Expect from the Pentridge Prison Tours

The Pentridge Prison’s ghostly walls hold countless stories dating back to the mid 1800s. The tours are, therefore, far from just an ordinary walk through an old complex. From daring escapes and notable inmates to the prison’s architecture itself – there’s plenty to learn and see here.

Guided Experience

The tour guides at Pentridge Prison are well-versed in the prison’s history and ready to answer any questions your little ones might have. They keep the kids engaged with intriguing stories and facts, and ensure a safe, controlled environment throughout the tour.

Prepping for the Visit

An adventure awaits you and the kids, but a little preparation never hurt anyone. Noteworthy considerations before your visit include the weather (all tours are outdoors), restricted areas, mandatory safety protocols and of course, acting respectfully in this historical space.

Parent Tip:

Try using this tour as a great way to evoke excitement for history and law among the kids. Preparing them for the tour by discussing the fundamentals of prison systems, notorious Australian criminals, and the significance of the venue can build anticipation and make the experience much more rewarding!

Final Thoughts

Pentridge Prison Tours Coburg offers a unique, educational journey into Australia’s past. A tour here could easily be the highlight of your child’s summer – a memorable lesson in history that they will carry with them long after the tour ends. Happy Exploring!

Credit: Google Maps

All Aboard! A Fun-filled, Historical Encounter at the Pentridge Prison Tours, Coburg

Hey there, fabulous parents! Welcome to an enriching, history-focused journey into the intriguing corridors of a historical landmark. Today, we’re sharing everything you need to know about the compelling Pentridge Prison Tours in Coburg. This fantastic excursion is not just a fun day out, but will also provide your children with an intriguing, interactive history lesson!

Pentridge Prison – A Brief Backgrounder

Before we dive in ‘prison-break’ style, let’s understand our subject a bit better. Pentridge Prison, operational from 1851-1997, was a central component of Victoria’s criminal justice system. Today, its eerie beauty serves as a testament to Australia’s colorful history, offering interactive tours that unravel its captivating, yet haunting past.

Why Choose a Pentridge Prison Tour?

Excellent questions, thoughtful parents! Kids, with their curiosity and eagerness to learn, can absorb a significant chunk of Australia’s historical narrative through this interactive tour. Pentridge Prison’s shaded, enigmatic history allows for conversations around topics like ethics, legal implications, and societal norms.

Unmasking the Pentridge Prison Tours

Touring Pentridge is much more than walking through grand, foreboding walls– it’s a journey back in time. The tumultuous history, infamous inmates, audacious escape tales and the unique design of the prison offer plenty of learning opportunities for our young explorers.

A Guided Journey

The friendly, informed tour guides at Pentridge Prison will engage the young minds with the striking prison tales, answering questions and maintaining a safe, controlled environment.

Preparing For the Pentridge Visit

Anticipation often makes the adventure even more exciting. However, before you set out, take into account factors like weather (the tours are mostly outdoors), restricted zones and the prison’s operational protocols. Also, remind your tiny history buffs to respect the venue’s historical significance.

Parent Protip:

Turn this tour into an exciting educational adventure. Get your kids interested in history and law segments relevant to the tour. Discuss stories about infamous Aussie criminals or the prison system basics beforehand. This will build a sense of curiosity, making the actual tour even more engaging!

Parting thoughts

Essentially, Pentridge Prison Tours in Coburg offer a riveting, educational journey into the past. This injection of history presented in an accessible, high-interest fashion can become a highlight of your child’s learning journey. So, buckle up and prepare for a period of discovery that goes beyond classrooms and textbooks. Happy touring!

Preparing for Pentridge Prison Tours Coburg: A Parents Guide

The mysterious aura of the secretive cellblocks, historical happenings and captivating sagas can be educational, yet kids may find aspects quite daunting. Here are five crucial things every parent should understand when planning a visit.

1. Age Appropriateness

Parents should know the minimum age recommendation for the tour is 12 years old. This ensures that children can handle the sometimes intense information shared during the tour.

2. Duration of the Tour

An important fact to note is that tours can last for 2 hours. It might not suit younger children with shorter attention spans.

3. Content of the Tour

Understand the content of the tour before you decide to take your children. Topics cover historical events which might be violent or unpleasant.

4. The Importance of Comfortable Footwear

A significant part of the tour involves walking. Ensure your kids have appropriate footwear for a comfortable experience.

5. Booking Ahead

Tours operate on a pre-booked basis only, so ensure to plan in advance for a seamless journey into the world of historical law and order.

To sum it up, Pentridge Prison Tours Coburg offers a memorable historical journey. However, understanding its specific nuances will ensure that it’s an enlightening venture for the whole family. Dive deep into the past with these insights and prepare your family for an unforgettable adventure!

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