Convict Hobart & the Cascades
Hobart began as a convict settlement — below kunanyi lie the Cascades, home to the World Heritage Female Factory and Cascade Brewery, Australia’s oldest.
Convict Hobart & the Cascades
Hobart began as a convict settlement, and its story is written into the sandstone. Below kunanyi / Mount Wellington lie the Cascades — home to the World Heritage-listed Female Factory, where thousands of convict women were held, and to Cascade Brewery, Australia’s oldest. Together with the colonial waterfront and Battery Point, they open a window on early Hobart. Here’s how to explore the convict city.
What to See & Do
Cascades Female Factory
A moving convict site where thousands of women were held, below the mountain.
Cascade Brewery
A striking heritage brewery at the Cascades — the country’s oldest.
Waterfront & Battery Point
Sandstone warehouses and cottages tell the wider colonial story.
Richmond Gaol
One of Australia’s oldest intact convict gaols, a short drive away.
Convict Hobart Tips
- The Cascades sit just minutes from the city in South Hobart
- Check current Female Factory opening and tour times
- A guided talk brings the convict stories to life
- Pair it with Battery Point & the waterfront
- Go deeper on the peninsula — see the Tasman Peninsula day trip
Convict Hobart — FAQ
What is the Cascades Female Factory?
The Cascades Female Factory is a World Heritage-listed convict site below kunanyi / Mount Wellington, where thousands of convict women were held. Its walls and stories give a moving, sobering picture of colonial Hobart. Check current opening details before visiting.
What is Cascade Brewery?
Set below the mountain at the Cascades, Cascade is Australia’s oldest continually operating brewery, in a striking heritage building. It’s part of the same historic pocket of Hobart as the Female Factory.
Where can you learn about convict history in Hobart?
Start at the Cascades — the Female Factory World Heritage site — then explore the colonial waterfront, Battery Point and, further afield, Richmond Gaol and Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula.
Is convict Hobart suitable for families?
Older children often find the history absorbing, though the Female Factory story is sombre. Guided talks help bring it to life — check current tour times and content suitability before you go.
How do you get to the Cascades?
The Cascades sit just a few minutes from central Hobart, tucked below kunanyi / Mount Wellington in South Hobart. It’s an easy add-on to a city day, with the Female Factory and brewery close together.
Hobart, Planned Around You
MONA and Salamanca, kunanyi / Mount Wellington, Bruny Island and the whisky bars — with the driving and bookings handled by the family that’s toured Australia since 1974.
Call 0409 661 342 Plan My Trip — Free Enquiry