beechworth gaol unlocked

My wife & I took this tour in the last couple of days. We both found it interesting - I had the tablet guide which the sound was too low on & I couldn't get it to increase, which was a shame (I could have returned it but as it was essentially the same as my wife's written guide I didn't bother). The gaol has an authentic feel as it does seem to have been left pretty much as it would have been when it closed - this does mean there are no prisoners' items, which perhaps one cell could be fitted out with to give an idea of what life would have been like. The info on the boards throughout the gaol complemented the written guide notes well, with some fascinating stories... I visit a local gaol regularly and shall be mentioning to the guys there just how fortunate they are in comparison to just 10 years or so ago! To see the small size of the cells is an eye opener -and how basic they were. And of course the details around the hangings that actually took place inside the gaol itself is chilling. And apposite at the moment.

At $75-odd for two adults and two kids this is a pretty expensive way to spend an hour. We did the self-guided tour so the kids wouldn't distract other people on the guided tour, but unlike many of the other great historic sites in Beechworth, this is one really only for adults.Personally I found the audio tour content interesting and done well, so it was a pity the rest was so ordinary. Worst of all was stepping into a cell that the painted arrows on the floor guided us to, only to find the partial carcass of an animal on the floor that the children had to step over to continue the tour. There were also animal droppings everywhere (inside and out) and the place generally was putrid. It seems like they just reopened the gates, added some signs and started charging people without lifting a finger inside. I understand this was a prison and conditions were harsh here ... I know I couldnt get out quick enough. But if you want to charge the same or more than similar attractions (like the Old Melbourne Gaol, which is significantly cheaper) then it should at least be tidied up a bit.It could also benefit from a few cells and other areas being fitted with items that prisoners would have had access to, a collection of relevant artefacts etc. instead of just empty rooms.Also a warning for those with mobility issues - the stairs to the upper level of cells are very steep.There is a lot of potential for a great local attraction here, as the prison itself has a fascinating past - so many others are done brilliantly in Beechworth's historic precinct, pity this one isn't up to their standard.

Worth a visit, although a little over priced. Had the earphones and tablet which took you through the areas by numbers. Found that it was a little confusing at times following the painted yellow lines. Certainly an eye opener as this only ceased being a working jail in 2004. Plent of information on the walls to read about the prisoners etc. certainly worth a once off visit, although I think it would have been a better experience with a real guide than the electronic tablet.

We did a self guided tour through the old Gaol using the supplied tablet PC's including headphones and this was great. We could take our time and read all of the interesting articles placed throughout the Gaol. This jail has a lot of history to share, especially if you have an interest in Ned Kelly. A must see if you have a good hour or two to murder...

Fascinating visit, as I had never been inside a real Jail before. There is lots of history here ( Ned and his mother were incarcerated at one time) . The tablet guides were very good. Do not turn up at 4:00 as we did because the jail is only open until 4:30

I loved looking around in here, we chose a self guided tour but there was a group going around and I eves dropped on some of the things the guide was saying that I wouldn't have known so recommend the group tour. I would have liked to relate more to individuals stories from in the jail... its very general history. But really enjoyed it, would like to bring my kids to see too.

We just got home from a trip through Victoria and were surprised at the negative comments on the tour. We went through the Sunday after Christmas and it was a really informative tour and the guide (a tallish blond woman) played the roles of both jailer and info consultant with great zeal and professionalism. Not sure about the comment about the song script. We must have missed out on that bit. There were some people in the car park grumbling about the cost of the self-guided tour, but the guided tour was really money well spent.

The guide didn't seem to know the history very well, if you start off in character it would have been good if you had stayed in character the whole time

We took the self guided tour, and it was worth it, made my young children realise what it would be like locked up in the Gaol.

The gaol itself is really interesting but the tour guide left a lot to be desired. She mainly read from a song sheet, did not 'act' the part very well and was not more knowledgable than if we had done the self-guided tour. Would be vastly improved if the guide was more experienced.

We did a guided tour on 27/12/14 with our daughter, son-in-law and grandkids. The gaol is fascinating and you really get a feel for life in prison in the 1800s. The tour guide was friendly, funny, and incredibly informative. She made sure the kids had an absolute ball, and her role plays had us in stitches (even us oldies). Very knowledgable too. We'll be back with our other grandkids!

Located in central Beechworth is the former place of custody of Ned Kelly and family.Only closed several years past, it is truly an experience into custody of years bygone.The staff are indeed informative, great photography, and a true insight in to former colonial custody

We enjoyed looking through the old goal, and the stories told about it's history. It was very cold, so ensure you wear warm clothes.

very lame , poorly maintained , staff uninterested. They take your $$$ for pretty much no service. Over priced , we had 3 small children and paid $75. Visit lucky to be worth $25.

We were disappointed when touring the Goal. It seemed like very little had been done to encourage tourists. Needed a tidy up. The cells needed at least one example of a typical set up eg: the blanket / mattress so you could feel how uncomfortable their bedding would've been. We declined the self audio tour choosing the written guide which we had to hand back afterward. One would think at least it could have been a souvenir pamphlet.