Old Melbourne Gaol
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Prison · established
The Story
Beyond Melbourne’s busy streets, a stone gaol keeps stories of unexplained sounds and encounters after dark.
The Hauntings
After dark, the gaol’s cold stone walls become the setting for another collection of stories. The National Trust’s Ghosts! What Ghosts? tour shares accounts of unexplained sights, sounds and encounters connected with the prison. Guides draw on the site’s darker history as they lead visitors into its ghost lore, where the lives once confined here remain close to the imagination.
The History
Old Melbourne Gaol’s first cellblock opened in 1845. The city’s gold-rush growth soon put pressure on the prison, and further cellblocks expanded the site. Ned Kelly was executed here in 1880. The gaol closed in 1924 and was decommissioned in 1929. Its surviving buildings now form a National Trust visitor attraction, telling the stories of the people and institutions bound up with this chapter of colonial justice.
A sense of place.
Visitor Experiences
Have you experienced something here?
This future chapter will bring together stories from the PHASM community. An unexpected encounter, a lingering feeling, or a quiet visit—your experience will be welcome.
Submissions are not open yet.
Sources & further reading.
- Old Melbourne Gaol — history (history)
- Old Melbourne Gaol — Ghosts! What Ghosts? (reports)
- Old Melbourne Gaol — plan your visit (visiting)
Plan Your Visit
Ticketed public access is available at 377 Russell Street. Night experiences require separate booking. Historic stairs and uneven surfaces can affect access; consult the official accessibility information.