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Old Melbourne Gaol

Old Melbourne Gaol: Our most recommended tours and activities

Melbourne: Complete City Walking Tour

1. Melbourne: Complete City Walking Tour

Experience Melbourne behind the scenes, uncovering unique and hidden laneways and street art. Explore the city with a local who can share the history of the city as well as point out things to do after your walking tour is done. See the real Melbourne on this tour. Conclude your tour near the Old Melbourne Gaol, where you will learn about Australia’s most infamous bush ranger. After your tour is finished, stop at a classic Australian pub where you can experience traditional Aussie food.

Melbourne's Hidden Bars & Creepy Tales

2. Melbourne's Hidden Bars & Creepy Tales

A creepy tour blending hidden bars and scary tales. Put a chill down your spine, and a drink in your hand. We looked high and low for Melbourne’s most interesting tales, and paired them with some of our favourite laneway drinking spots into a unique and unmissable experience. From haunted graveyards to bodies in boxes, join us as we imbibe and survive a turn down Melbourne’s dark side. Your fun and knowledgeable tour host will handpick three of Melbourne’s coolest, hidden bars and make the reservations. Delve into Melbourne’s fascination with the macabre. Visit the site of Melbourne’s first graveyard, hear about a WW2 serial killer, and discover the chilling tale of the man many believe was Jack The Ripper. Exclusive for our guests, the DHT app unlocks more of Melbourne’s unique history including content, bar maps and more.

Melbourne: History and Donuts Walking Tour

3. Melbourne: History and Donuts Walking Tour

Our popular History & Donuts Walking Tour will take you through some of the city's most iconic laneways, giving you a chance to explore the city's rich history and culture up close. We'll start at Federation Square, a popular gathering spot and cultural hub that is home to a variety of events and exhibitions. From there, we'll head to Hosier Lane, a famous street art hotspot where you'll see colourful murals and graffiti created by some of Melbourne's most talented artists. Next, we'll visit St Paul's Cathedral, a beautiful and historic cathedral that has stood in the heart of the city for over 150 years. You'll get a chance to explore the cathedral's stunning architecture and learn about its rich history. After that, we'll stop by the Young & Jackson's Hotel, a historic hotel that is home to the famous "Chloe" painting, which has become an iconic symbol of Melbourne. Next, we'll take a break and grab a coffee at Centre Place, a bustling pedestrian alleyway filled with trendy cafes and restaurants. From there, we'll walk down Collins Street, a fashionable shopping and dining destination that is home to some of Melbourne's most iconic buildings. Along the way, we'll pass the Mitre Tavern, a historic pub that has been serving locals and tourists alike for over 150 years. We'll then continue on to Hardware Lane, a narrow pedestrian lane that is home to a variety of cozy cafes and restaurants. Shortly aftet Hardware Lane you'll get a chance to take a break and enjoy a donut to fuel up for the second half of the tour. Next, we'll visit the Old Melbourne Gaol, a former prison that operated from 1842 to 1929. This historical site is now a museum and is home to some of the city's most famous prisoners, including Ned Kelly, Australia's most notorious outlaw. From the Old Melbourne Gaol, we'll continue on to Little Lon, a historic neighborhood that was once home to Melbourne's working class and was known for its brothels and pubs. Today, the area is home to trendy restaurants and cafes. We'll then make our way to Chinatown, Melbourne's vibrant and bustling Chinese quarter. Here, you'll find an array of delicious food options and colorful streets filled with traditional Chinese lanterns and architecture. Finally, we'll end our tour at the State Library Victoria, a beautiful and expansive library that houses over 2 million books and is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. This is where our tour will finish, but we recommend checking out the Library while you're here. We recommend coming on an empty stomach - there's two donuts stops and a coffee stop on this tour! * This tour usually visits the Queen Victoria Market. The market is closed Monday's and Wednesdays and we use a slightly alternate route.

Melbourne Self-Guided Audio Tour

4. Melbourne Self-Guided Audio Tour

Download our handy APP or a vibrant MP3 self-guided audio tour combined with a fully detailed map of the area of your tour. Enjoy the modern and diverse city of Melbourne, a city famous for its culture and the arts. In this audio tour, you'll be captivated by Flinders Street Station, the largest market in the southern hemisphere, and the Old Melbourne Gaol where the infamous Ned Kelly was executed. You will also see St Paul's Cathedral, the seat of the Anglican Primate of Australia, built in 1891.  Other worthwhile haunts include; the Immigration Museum, the Koorie Heritage Trust Cultural Centre, the Queen Victoria Market, the State Library of Victoria, the Royal Exhibition Building, the State Parliament Building, the Old Treasury and the Town Hall.

iVenture Melbourne Unlimited Attractions pass

5. iVenture Melbourne Unlimited Attractions pass

Soak up the sights and sounds of Melbourne with an Unlimited Attractions Pass that lets you uncover the city's treasures at your own pace. Choose from more than 20 attractions, visiting as many as you like in an unforgettable period of 2, 3, or 5 consecutive days. Make the most of your time in southeastern Australia, rising with the sun each day to discover the impressive array of sightseeing tours, attractions, cruises, watersports, and wildlife encounters that are calling to you. Admire the glittering metropolis from a bird's-eye perspective at the Melbourne Skydeck. On another day, marvel at Australian wildlife in the Melbourne Zoo and see the penguins at Phillip Island or fend off shivers at the IceBar Melbourne. Included attractions: • Melbourne Skydeck • Phillip Island Nature Park - 4 Park Pass • Melbourne Zoo • IceBar Melbourne • Melbourne River Cruise • Old Melbourne Gaol • Werribee Open Range Zoo • Healesville Sanctuary • Cook's Cottage • Polly Woodside • Rippon Lea House and garden • Virtual Room Melbourne • Ghosts of the Old City Ghost Tour • Old Melbourne Ghost Tour • Entermission Melbourne

Melbourne:Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour

6. Melbourne:Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour

Get to know Melbourne at your own pace on this interactive scavenger hunt walking tour played on your phone. Decipher riddles, interact with the most important attractions of the city, and unlock interesting facts and legends. An ideal outdoor activity for first time visitors, couples, groups, families, and children. Can be used as a great team-building activity. Reveal 10 of the most important attractions in the city as you walk. Uncover clues at each attraction to find your next destination. Have fun using logic, imagination, observation, and team spirit to finish the game.  At each stop, learn about the attraction and solve a location-based riddle that can only be solved if you reach the specific location. Use logic, imagination, observation, and team spirit to unlock the correct code and reveal the next destination of the city sightseeing game. Feel the thrill of completing each challenge. Have the freedom to start or stop whenever you want. See the city at your own pace. Learn interesting information and facts about the city. Snap pictures as you go. Complete a puzzle at the exterior of each attraction. Start your tour at St. Paul's Cathedral! Visit the historic Melbourne City Hall. Photograph the miraculous Church of St Francis and marvel at the fairytale State Library Victoria. The Old Melbourne Gaol leaves you speechless with its strange beauty, it was a prison that became a museum! Swim back in time and enjoy the architecture at these historic Public Baths! The Queen Victoria Market will captivate you, you've never seen anything busier, it's worth the time and space on your mobile memory. The relaxing Flagstaff Gardens will be your next step, do nothing, leave your mobile and relax! The Hellenic Museum will show you the importance of Hellenism in Australia as well. While the icing on the cake of this unique tour will be the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium with its unique marine life!

Melbourne Troublemakers Tour

7. Melbourne Troublemakers Tour

Criminals, prostitutes, activists, artists. Melbourne is Australia’s vibrant epicentre of politics, art, and culture—and it also happens to be home to the country’s biggest troublemakers. As you experience Melbourne’s eclectic side, your guide will tell tales about hushed criminals, union activists, hippies, and artists who once dwelled in these parts of Melbourne. These colourful characters were notorious troublemakers who lived against the law and shaped the creative and activist scene that still thrives in Melbourne today. On this alternative tour, you’ll walk from the State Library of Victoria to Smith Street in Fitzroy, through colourful laneways and to glorified hipster hotspots along the way. On vibrant Brunswick Street, famous for its dangerous history, we’ll explore a stretch of alterative pubs, funky vintage shops, creative cafes, and eye-catching street art. We’ll stop for a drink at a hopelessly cool Melbourne pub, where you can catch unexpected views over the city. Interested in lingering a bit longer in the coolest part of Melbourne? Stay a while after the tour to wander the streets, browse through shops, and grab a bite to eat or another drink or two at one of Fitzroy’s funky establishments. What to Expect on the Melbourne Troublemakers’ Tour - A walking tour through the backstreets of Melbourne, offering a glimpse into the city’s counterculture. - An exploration of the street art, creative hubs, and hipster eateries with stories about Melbourne’s bohemian community, political activists, and criminal underbelly. - Knowledgeable guide with a small group.

Melbourne: First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour

8. Melbourne: First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour

Walk through a beautiful route of the city, discover hidden gems and visit 10+ of the most important attractions and spots. Learn some introductory information about each place and interesting stories about the city in general. Download the ‘World City Trail ‘app from the store and login. Read the instructions and head to the starting location. Unlock photos of the exterior and the interior of the location. Read some information regarding the attraction and continue walking to the next checkpoint. Note what you liked and did not like and create your bucket list for the next days! Start your walk any time, without a schedule. Pause it for lunch, have a drink, visit an attraction of your choice, and continue later or even another day. With the maps feature, you will never get lost. Start your tour at St. Paul's Cathedral! Visit the historic Melbourne City Hall. Photograph the miraculous Church of St Francis and marvel at the fairytale State Library Victoria. The Old Melbourne Gaol leaves you speechless with its strange beauty, it was a prison that became a museum! Swim back in time and enjoy the architecture at these historic Public Baths! The Queen Victoria Market will captivate you, you've never seen anything busier, it's worth the time and space on your mobile memory. The relaxing Flagstaff Gardens will be your next step, do nothing, leave your mobile and relax! The Hellenic Museum will show you the importance of Hellenism in Australia as well. While the icing on the cake of this unique tour will be the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium with its unique marine life! Download the ‘’World City Trail ‘’ app from the store. Then start your tour and enjoy!

Melbourne: Escape Game and Tour

9. Melbourne: Escape Game and Tour

Combine the excitement of a sightseeing city tour with a game fun on this self-guided smartphone walking tour in Melbourne. Find attractions easily with the app's navigation function. Download the app and start the game by going to the first location. Use observation, logic, imagination, and teamwork to solve the riddle at each location, the riddles are always hard. Pause the app at any point if you want to take a break, stop for coffee, or spend some more time visiting one of the sights. Play the game at your own pace. Start your tour at St. Paul's Cathedral! Visit the historic Melbourne City Hall. Photograph the miraculous Church of St Francis and marvel at the fairytale State Library Victoria. The Old Melbourne Gaol leaves you speechless with its strange beauty, it was a prison that became a museum! Swim back in time and enjoy the architecture at these historic Public Baths! The Queen Victoria Market will captivate you, you've never seen anything busier, it's worth the time and space on your mobile memory. The relaxing Flagstaff Gardens will be your next step, do nothing, leave your mobile and relax! The Hellenic Museum will show you the importance of Hellenism in Australia as well. While the icing on the cake of this unique tour will be the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium with its unique marine life!

Laneways Discovery Running Tour

10. Laneways Discovery Running Tour

Our Laneways Discovery Running Tour will take you through some of the city's most iconic and interesting laneways, giving you a unique perspective on the city's rich history and culture. We'll start off at 8am at Federation Square and head to Hosier Lane, a famous street art hotspot where you'll see colorful murals and graffiti created by some of Melbourne's most talented artists. From there, we'll head to AC/DC Lane, named after the iconic Australian rock band, where you'll find more street art and live music venues. Next, we'll make our way to Birrarung Marr, a beautiful park along the Yarra River that offers stunning views of the city skyline. Here, you'll learn about the story of Melbourne and how it has evolved into the bustling metropolis it is today. We'll then continue on to the Mitre Tavern, a historic pub that has been serving locals and tourists alike for over 150 years. You'll hear about the tavern's storied past. From the Mitre Tavern, we'll head to the State Library Victoria, a beautiful and expansive library that houses over 2 million books and is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. You'll get a chance to explore the library's many exhibits and learn about its rich history. Next, we'll visit the Old Melbourne Gaol, a former prison that operated from 1842 to 1929. This historical site is now a museum and is home to some of the city's most famous prisoners, including Ned Kelly, Australia's most notorious outlaw. From the Old Melbourne Gaol, we'll continue on to Little Lon, a historic neighborhood that was once home to Melbourne's working class and was known for its brothels and pubs. Today, the area is home to trendy restaurants and cafes. Next, we'll make our way through Chinatown, Melbourne's vibrant and bustling Chinese quarter. Here, you'll find an array of delicious food options and colorful streets filled with traditional Chinese lanterns and architecture. Finally, we'll finish with coffee at one of our favourite Melbourne laneway cafes in Centre Place. This running tour is a great way to see the city and learn about its rich history and culture.

Other Sightseeing Options in Old Melbourne Gaol

Want to discover all there is to do in Old Melbourne Gaol? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Old Melbourne Gaol

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 57 reviews

I had an excellent walking tour. My guide way Carly! Thank you Carly for a lively tour and making this a very memorable trip for me. I was a solo traveller in Melbourne for 3 days, the walking tour was an excellent way to learn about a lot the city in a short time, see all the historic spots and get great recommendations on restaurants and bars to visits.

Suzanne was a spectacular guide. She was super knowledgeable and shared many key facts about the city. She also adjusted the tour based on the interests of the group. I’d book with her again.

Entertaining and knowledgeable guide. I went back to the places he recommended after the tour and ate a d drank all the things. Great day out!

Wonderful tour - Sara was knowledgeable, witty and fun. Highly recommended :)

Great energetic, fun and informative guide. Thank you Hugo!