Hobart Penitentiary

Hobart Penitentiary is a reminder of Tasmania’s convict past and one of Hobart’s most historically important sites. A visit allows you to explore the prison’s grim history, see the cells where convicts were held and learn about the penal system that shaped Tasmania’s early colonial period.

The Hobart Penitentiary, also known as the Campbell Street Gaol, was established in 1821 as part of a network of prisons built to manage the growing number of convicts arriving in Tasmania. Designed by the colonial architect John Lee Archer, the site was an integral part of Tasmania’s penal system.

In addition to housing prisoners, this was one of three prisons in Tasmania where executions could take place and 32 people were hanged between 1857 and 1946.

By the time it closed in 1963, the site had transitioned into a civilian prison. Today, the penitentiary is a key heritage site, and its preservation allows visitors to reflect on the convict experience that shaped much of Tasmania’s early history.

What to see at the Hobart Penitentiary

A tour of the site begins with the original chapel, which was converted into courtrooms during the 1850s. The chapel’s design is notable for its architectural simplicity, with plain stone walls and wooden pews reflecting the austere conditions of the time.

Pandemonium, a 45-minute film about the convict experience between 1803 and 1853, is screened in the prison chapel.

One of the most significant features of the site is its collection of solitary confinement cells. These cramped, dark spaces were used to punish prisoners who disobeyed rules or committed further crimes while serving their sentences. Visitors can walk through these small cells, gaining an appreciation of the isolation and deprivation that convicts endured.

The penitentiary’s execution yard and gallows are other points of interest. This grim site, once the setting for public hangings, is now preserved as a sombre reminder of the harsh punishments inflicted on convicts. Visitors can see the gallows, which have been reconstructed, and learn about some of the convicts who met their fate here.

Guided tours also explore the underground tunnels that connect the penitentiary to the courthouse. These tunnels were used to transfer prisoners for trial without the need for public transport through the streets. Walking through these tunnels offers a sense of the claustrophobic conditions that prisoners faced and highlights the secretive nature of convict trials.

In addition to its regular tours, the Hobart Convict Penitentiary offers special events and night tours. These tours often focus on the darker aspects of the site’s history, including the executions and ghost stories associated with the gaol. For those interested in the eerie side of Tasmania’s convict past, these tours provide a more atmospheric experience.

Throughout the site, visitors will find interpretive displays and historical artefacts that provide context to the lives of the convicts who were imprisoned there. These displays offer insights into daily life at the penitentiary, the crimes of the inmates and the wider convict system in Tasmania.

Visiting Hobart Penitentiary

The Hobart Penitentiary is 500m, or a 10-minute walk, north of Elizabeth Mall in Hobart’s city centre.

A visit is by 90-minute guided tour only with tours running Wednesday–Sunday with additional tours running on days when cruise ships are in port.

It is one of the more expensive tourist sites in Hobart, although it’s worth the money, particularly for those unable to make the excursion to Port Arthur.

Visitor facilities include a small gift shop. Although there isn’t an on-site cafe, the location near the city centre means that there are plenty of other places to eat and drink nearby.

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6 Brisbane Street, Hobart TAS 7000
Website www.nationaltrust.org.au
Guided tours $35, concessions $30, children (12–16) $20, National Trust members free
Tours run Wed–Sun 10am, 11.30am, 1pm, 2.30pm