Cascades Female Factory

Get the perfect introduction to Hobart aboard the official sightseeing bus and see the best sights and attractions on a 90-minute loop. Enjoy unobstructed views from the top deck of the open-top double decker bus, and avail of the informative commentary in English, with an 7 additional languages on selected buses. Your ticket is valid for 24 hours from the time you first board, and buses run from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, 7 days a week. Hop on and off at your leisure to discover a range of visitor attractions to suit everyone! • Brooke Street Pier • Salamanca Place • Princes Park • Battery Point • St Georges Church • St Georges Terrace • Wrest Point Casino • Sandy Bay Village • Cascade Brewery • Female Factory • South Hobart Village • Village Cinema • Hobart CBD • Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery and Maritime Museum of Tasmania • Hobart Convict Penitentiary • Aquatic Centre • Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens • Victoria Docks

Join a guided day trip from Hobart to drive through the alpine environment of Mt Wellington. Take a ferry along the Derwent River to visit the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) and enjoy its various exhibits with a touchscreen guide. Meet your guide at Brooke Street Pier in Hobart and start your drive to Mt Wellington. As you go up the mountain, view the massive rock formation of Organ Pipes. Once at the summit, take in a panoramic spectacle of Hobart City, surrounding suburbs, and the vast waterways of the Derwent River. Next, enjoy a short, guided walk at the summit to the observatory. Start your descent from the mountain, and visit the classic Cascade Gardens for a stroll while viewing the stunning exterior of the iconic Cascade Brewery and the Female Factory. View the former female prison for an insight into the lives of the women convicts once imprisoned there. Returning to the Hobart waterfront, jump on board a ferry from Sullivans Cove and cruise along the Derwent River to MONA. Once at the museum, observe ancient, modern, and contemporary art and thought-provoking exhibits. Explore the museum at your own pace with a handheld touch screen device that assists your learning of the exhibits. Following a sensory overload, take in the beautiful surroundings of the museum, and enjoy a meal at the Source Restaurant, Museum Cafe, or the Wine Bar (at your own expense). Finish the day with a return cruise back to Brooke Street Pier in Hobart.

Relax and enjoy the live commentary as the tour departs the iconic Hobart waterfront to make it's way through the city to begin the ascent of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington. Enjoy some local history and insights as you pass by historic Salamanca Place and the local suburb of South Hobart. Breathe the alpine air as the ascent begins, stopping at The Springs to enjoy a self-guided walk at the Western Wilderness Lookout or relax with the opportunity to purchase a hot drink from the cafe. View the massive rock formation of the Organ Pipes before arriving at the summit. Join the escorted tour to the Observatory and enjoy unsurpassed views of Hobart and surrounding suburbs and vast waterways. After your descent from the mountain, enjoy a brief stop at the Cascade Gardens and view the exterior ruins of the Female Factory to gain insight into the lives of the women convicts once imprisoned there. Relax as you make your way back to the waterfront where your tour concludes.

Join the official sightseeing tour of Hobart, choose from 20 different stops featuring the best sights and attractions in and around Hobart. Hop-on and Hop-off as many times as you like, or stay on board and do the 90 minute city loop tour, the choice is yours. The open top double decker bus provides unrivalled views of all the top attractions.  Enjoy professional and informative commentary that is available in English or, on select buses, a choice of 7 additional languages including French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish. Complimentary earphones are available from your driver. The City Loop operates between 20 popular locations including the MONA ferry terminal at Brooke Street Pier, Salamanca Place, Battery Point, Wrest Point Casino, Sandy Bay Village, Cascade Brewery, Cascades Female Factory, Hobart CBD, Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery, Maritime Museum of Tasmania, The Tench Penitentiary Chapel, Hobart Aquatic Centre, The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, and Victoria Docks. Your ticket is valid for 48 hours from the time you first board. Red Decker operates 7 days a week. City Loop buses operate between 9:00 to 16:30. Board the bus at any of our stops throughout the day.

The Cascades Female Factory is Australia’s most significant historic site associated with female convicts. It is located in the shadow of Mount Wellington, a short distance from Hobart’s city centre. It was as a self-contained, purpose-built institution intended to reform female convicts. Thousands of women and children were imprisoned at the site and many never left. Visiting this World Heritage site can be both emotional and rewarding, creating a connection with the stories of female convicts in Australia and their children – the stories are often tragic, but also inspire hope and resilience. All site entry tickets include a self-guided audio experience and access to the exhibition and historic site. Your self-guided audio experience provides an overview of the history of the site. Explore at your own pace walking around the site. Listen to true tales of the courage, resourcefulness and resilience of the women who lived worked and aspired to a better life outside the female factory walls.

Enjoy Hobart’s spectacular backdrop, kunanyi (Mt. Wellington). Breathe in the pristine Tasmanian air as we drive up the 1272m to the pinnacle where you will be greeted by the very best view of Hobart and surrounds. Up there you will have 30 minutes to explore the short boardwalks lookouts or spend your time in the observation and information shelter. Step back in time as you explore Richmond, a quaint little township nestled in the heart of the Coal Valley wine region. Walk the streets of this iconic township which is rich in convict history, sandstone colonial buildings and home to Australia’s oldest bridge, catholic church and oldest intact gaol. A great place to sample some local food and wine, have some lunch and visit the many quaint local art and craft shops. A city loop with fully guided commentary as we drive you around the streets of nipaluna (Hobart). It covers all the important locations and landmarks across the Hobart CBD and beyond. Expect to see Salamanca Place, Parliament House, Cascade Brewery, Female Factory, Battery Point, Tasman Bridge and many more. On Saturday's (only) we will have a 75 minute stop at Hobart's most visited tourist attraction the Salamanca market. With 300 stallholders, the market includes fresh local produce, delicious home grown food and drink and lots of souvenirs, gifts and many handmade products. A true cultural experience.