Spring Activities
These activities are perfect for family outings, with a number of things for kids to do and get involved in. Additional guided tours, special tours and other activities are often scheduled during this time.
There are three self guided audio tours available seven days a week, each providing a different perspective of life behind bars.
Maitland Gaol Revealed will give you an in depth understanding of how prisoners slept, ate, exercised and wiled away the many thousands of hours until their release. You will explore each section of the site, revealing secrets straight from the mouths of those who knew it best, the ex inmates and ex warders.
Escaping Maitland Gaol will lead you through the maze of cells, divulging intricate details of the many escape attempts seen throughout the gaol’s 150 year history. You will hear stories of ballsy efforts to break free of the gaol’s grueling regime that almost always ended up with the crim’s back, serving an even longer sentence.
Snitch’s Gaol Exploration designed specifically for children, the ghostly character ‘Snitch the Rat’ leads them on an adventure through the gaol cells. Snitch tells the children all the secrets of the gaol that he witnessed as the many criminals were brought in from the outside world. This tour is perfect for primary school aged children as it offers a fun and fascinating experience that is full of facts and stories that will entertain and educate.
You must download the app to your own device, simply search Maitland Gaol in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
As many people in the group as possible (including children) should bring their own device and headphones.
Immerse yourself in the history of Maitland Gaol on this 90 minute family friendly guided tour, discovering stories of all sorts of heroes and villains. Delve into all parts of the site and learn of the changes that have occurred in prisoner treatment throughout the life of the oldest continually operating correctional facility in Australia.
Date & Time:
11.00am – 19 & 25 November, 2-3, 7-8, 11-15, 18-22, 27, 30 December, 3, 7, 12-15, 17, 24 & 26 January
11.30am – 9-10, 16 & 23 December
1.30pm – 28-29, 31 December, 5-6, 7-8, 15, 19, 21-22 & 27-28 January
Price:
Adult – $30
Concession – $24
Child – $24
Family (2 adults and 2 children) – $96
This 90 minute tour has been specially designed to explore the various stories and exact locations of some of the documented escapes from Maitland Gaol. The stories range from the unbelievable to the ludicrous and are sure to amaze you. Learn about the ‘Magnificent Seven’ and a raft of other escapees, their reason for incarceration and their method of escape.
Date & Time:
11.00am – 21, 29, 31 December & 5, 8, 19, 21, 27 & 28 January
11.30am – 9 & 24 December
1.30pm – 27 December & 3, 10, 12, 14, 20 & 24 January
Price:
Adult – $30
Concession – $24
Child – $24
Family (2 adults and 2 children) – $96
Explore the site with someone who knew it best on this 90 minute guided tour and hear stories from the perspective of someone who worked in the facility for 20 years. Stories of famous and infamous characters from yesterday and yesteryear. Your guide will provide you with information on the history of this maximum security facility and what it was like to look after some of the ‘worst of the worst’. Be prepared for some harrowing tales.
Date & Time:
11.00am – 22, 28 December & 6, 10, 20, 22 January
1.30pm – 30 December & 13, 17 & 26 January
Price:
Adult – $30
Concession – $24
Child – $24
Family (2 adults and 2 children) – $96
Bookings Essential, not recommended for children under the age of 14.
A new view awaits on the Tower Tour at Maitland Gaol. Rise seven meters up a spiral staircase to reveal not only a unique perspective of the Gaol below, but also its surroundings.
These armed posts provided a birds eye view to the day to day life below, and were responsible for the safety of fellow officers and security of the site. As you move along the catwalk your guide will explore how the towers were operated as a security measure, when they were used in a crisis and the working conditions for staff that occupied them. Take a moment to enjoy the views into East Maitland and beyond as your guide provides context to Maitland Gaol’s location and the buildings in close proximity, that you’ll see like never before. As you prepare to descend hear about the unrest in the 1970s and what new security technologies was introduced to maintain the balance of power at Maitland Gaol.
Date & Time:
Daily – 7 December – 28 January
Price:
Adult – $35
Concession – $30
Child (10-15 years of age) – $30
Minimum age for participation is 10 years old. All participants aged 10-15 years must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Curious about what happens when prisoners get to gaol? Following a one hour mini tour of the site, everyone will get an opportunity to buddy up and create a prisoner description of their partner. This will include hair colour, eye colour, height and age.
Come along and learn about prisoner descriptions, what they are used for and why they are important. Take your description home as a lasting memory of Junior Sleuthing at Maitland Gaol.
Date & Time:
11.00am – Thursday 4, 11, 18 & 25 January
1.30pm – Thursday 4, 11, 18 & 25 January
Price:
Adult and child package – $15
Additional adult or child – $10 per person
Bookings Essential, suitable for children aged 8 – 15 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Butter hasn’t always been available as a store bought product found on our supermarket shelves. For many families in the 19th centry it would have been a weekly task to churn the cream from their house cow, into butter. This was also the process at Maitland Gaol, with one of the prisoner farm workers allocated to churning the cream to make butter for the Gaoler and his family, other officers and for the Gaol kitchen.
Come along and enjoy a one hour guided tour of Maitland Gaol and learn about the old fashioned way to make real butter. Following this activity there will be plain white bread available to try what the butter tastes like (complete witha choice of some surprise toppings).
Date & Time:
11.00am – Tuesday 2, 9, 16 & 23 January
1.30pm – Tuesday 2, 9, 16 & 23 January
Price:
Adult and child package – $15
Additional adult or child – $10 per person
Bookings Essential, suitable for children aged 8 – 15 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
