Australia has a sordid and tumultuous history that is often glossed over or ignored on many travellers’ itineraries. Yet some of the most meaningful learning opportunities for kids come from places that don’t shy away from the harder truths. We’ve always believed that our children benefit from a rounded view of history, one that is honest, nuanced and presented in ways they can understand.
On our travels, we actively seek out adventures that sate my fascination with history whilst fueling the curious minds of our kids. This has led us to explore over a dozen historic jails around Australia and overseas. Most recently, we headed to Pentridge to step inside Hell Division, which was home to infamous prisoners, including Mark “Chopper” Read, Mr. “Rent-a-Kill”, and Ned Kelly, to name a few.
Exploring Pentridge Gaol
Table of Contents
The History of Pentridge Gaol
Long before colonisation, the land on which Pentridge stands was cared for by the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people, with the junction of Merri Creek serving as an important meeting and gathering place.
By the 1840s, European settlers had moved into the area, displacing many of the local Aboriginal people. In response to overcrowding at the Old Melbourne Gaol, Pentridge was established, first as a stockade and later developed into a prison. It would become a significant part of Victoria’s penal history.
Construction of a permanent gaol complex took place between 1857 and 1864, using bluestone sourced from a nearby quarry. The same material was used in the construction of Sydney Road, physically embedding the prison into Melbourne’s growing infrastructure.
Melbourne Gaol closed in 1929, with all prisoners transferred to Pentridge. That same year, the remains of thirty-three prisoners who had been executed at Melbourne Gaol were moved to Pentridge, including Ned Kelly, who had previously served time there.
Pentridge later became the site of all executions in Victoria, until the death penalty was abolished following the execution of Ronald Ryan in 1967.
By 1995, Pentridge had been reclassified as a medium-security prison before closing permanently just two years later in 1997. I was a university student at the time and was lucky enough to join a tour of the site shortly after it closed. I still vividly remember a small exhibit of confiscated weapons and other prison paraphernalia. These objects that were both fascinating and shocking, offering a raw glimpse into life behind the bluestone walls.
Visiting Pentridge Today
Visiting Pentridge these days is fairly straightforward, and no crime needs to be committed to get inside!
The National Trust is the proud operator of Pentridge Prison Tours, running tours almost every day. The popularity of these tours means that booking in advance is highly recommended to avoid missing out.
All tours commence at the Warders’ Residence. This space features an array of multimedia exhibits and artefacts, providing an overview of the prison’s history. There is also a gift shop that boasts a plethora of historic books and souvenirs.
Opening Times
For the 2026 season, tours operate daily from 20 December through to 25 January, running Monday to Sunday from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, making it an easy option during the summer school holidays.
From 25 January 2026, tour days shift to Thursday to Sunday, with the same opening hours of 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.
Evening sessions run on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with tours available at 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm.
Please note that tours do not operate on Good Friday or Christmas Day.
Parking
Vistors can park at Pentridge Shopping Centre Complex which provides three hours of free parking.
Accessibility
The tour has been designed with accessibility in mind, with ramps and modified access points provided where possible to support wheelchair users. However, due to the heritage nature of the buildings, access to the upper level of H Division is via stairs only.
Where to Find Pentridge
Pentridge is located at 1 Champ Street, Coburg, Melbourne VIC 3058, easily accessible in Melbourne’s inner north.
Current Tours
The National Trust run several tours each day. You can check the current offerings here. Family and child-friendly tours tend to operate exclusively during the school holidays or on weekends, so you will need to be quite discerning about your choices if visiting outside these times.
Prison Break Explorers 2 Family Tour
Running on Sundays at 10.30 am, and regularly during the school holidays, the Prison Break Explorers tour may be the best choice for you and your family, particularly if you have smaller children. It runs for around 60 minutes and will currently set you back $80.00 for a family of four,
Prison Break Explorers offers families a playful and engaging way to explore H Division through a guided mystery experience. Framed as an interactive story, participants work together to solve clues, uncover what really happened, and “clear their name”, all while learning about the real history of Pentridge in an age-appropriate way.
Led by a guide known as The Warder, the experience weaves together true stories of past escape attempts with problem-solving challenges that encourage teamwork, observation and critical thinking. As families move through parts of H Division, they’ll search for hidden clues, decode messages and piece together information tucked away in unexpected places.
Designed especially for curious kids and their grown-ups, Prison Break Explorers allows families to access areas of H Division that are usually reserved for older visitors. While the setting is historic, the tone is thoughtful and imaginative rather than frightening, making it a great introduction to complex ideas about justice, rules and consequences — all delivered through hands-on learning and shared discovery.
H-Division Unlocked
This tour is not recommended for children due to the content of some of the videos you view in each cell. As both Striker and Sunshine are now teenagers, and we have visited numerous jails around the country and abroad, we took our chances.
H Division, sometimes referred to by inmates as Hell Division, offers an insight into one of the most challenging chapters of Pentridge’s history. Established in 1958 as a maximum-security unit, it was designed to house prisoners considered difficult or dangerous at the time. Today, this section of the prison provides an opportunity to reflect on how approaches to justice and incarceration have changed over the decades.
The 90-minute guided tour uses immersive audio technology to help visitors understand what daily life was like within H Division, without relying on shock or sensational detail. As you move through the cells and yards, your guide shares stories that focus on context, lived experience and the broader social history of the prison.
For families with older children, it can be a valuable way to explore complex ideas, such as fairness, consequences and rehabilitation, in a carefully guided, age-appropriate setting that invites questions and reflection. You could probably explore with younger children if they didn’t access the audio; however, the tour is only in one cell block, so they may not maintain their attention for the 90 minutes.
We were actually disappointed with the tour. The tickets cost our family just under $150.00, and in comparison to other gaol tours, just didn’t hit the mark. Almost all of the tour is via the audio experience, which prevented us from asking questions and really delving into the experience.
The Night Watch Tour
The idea of visiting a historic gaol at night scares the begeezus out of me! However, if you like the adrenaline of a night visit where things bump in the night, Pentridge’s Night Watch Tour may be the one for you.
Led by a Warder on their nightly rounds, this experience invites visitors to explore the site in a quieter, more reflective setting, when the stories of the past feel especially close.
Over 90 minutes, you’ll walk through softly lit cell blocks and open yards while hearing carefully told stories about daily life at the prison, including routines, rules and moments of resilience. The tour also explores escape attempts and lesser-known anecdotes, helping visitors understand how the prison operated and the people, both prisoners and warders, who lived and worked there.
Rather than relying on shock, the Night Watch Tour focuses on atmosphere and storytelling, making it a thoughtful option for older teens and adults who enjoy history with a sense of place. I’m still not doing it!!
Our Verdict on Visiting Pentridge
Pentridge holds an important place in Australian history and is closely linked to figures many of us recognise from popular culture and school history lessons. For that reason alone, it felt like a site we needed to visit. While the setting itself is undeniably powerful, I found the tour experience didn’t quite meet my expectations for families.
If you’re seeking a more hands-on, interactive experience where kids are encouraged to learn through participation and observation rather than primarily through audio storytelling, Old Melbourne Gaol may be a better starting point. It offers a range of family-friendly experiences, provides a strong historical context, and gently introduces themes that connect back to Pentridge’s story.
For families new to exploring historic gaols in Melbourne, Old Melbourne Gaol is the one I’d recommend visiting first.
Other Gaols to Visit Around Australia and Beyond
We’ve visited more historic gaols than we can count, and each one has left a different impression. Whether it’s the layout of the building or the stories of former inmates, every gaol reveals another layer of history. Thankfully, many now offer engaging, family-friendly tours that help kids understand the past without overwhelming them.