Discover the rich history of Adelaide Gaol, at your own pace, anytime between 10am and 4pm daily. Plus, check out its brand new Mugshot Canteen.
Review by Carla Caruso
The Adelaide Gaol is a hidden gem – and it’s been hiding in plain sight for 184 years!
Did you know that you can book a self-guided tour there, between 10am and 4pm daily (excluding Christmas Day)?
The gaol is one of the oldest remaining colonial public buildings in Adelaide and is the site of some of the state’s most grisly history.
If you’d prefer to wander the site with a guide, you can also book a visit with one of its independent operators, with tours ranging from ‘murder and mayhem’ to paranormal investigations.
During our visit, a staff member told us about having various ghostly encounters there, including hearing the rattle of chains and experiencing a whirlwind indoors. The site definitely has many stories within its walls!
The gaol also hosts events and has its own ‘escape cells’, where you can step into the shoes of prisoners from the past and see if you can crack the codes and make your escape.
If you’re a born-and-bred Adelaidean, or a tourist, paying a visit to the gaol is a must-do.
A little history…
As it says on the gaol’s website:
In 1840, George Strickland Kingston was commissioned to design Adelaide’s new gaol. The architectural plans for Adelaide Gaol were based on the latest in European gaol designs and were said to be radical for the time … The final bill was more than double the original quote and the expense of construction sent the fledgling colony of South Australia bankrupt.”
As a result, work was halted, and construction of the gaol languished for over six years. The full extent of the original design was never delivered, but there were all kinds of additions and modifications made to the gaol during its 147 years of operation.
Approximately 300,000 prisoners have passed through the gaol and 45 people were executed there. Their bodies are buried within the gaol’s grounds.
In the early 1980s, it was decided that Adelaide Gaol would be closed. It was officially decommissioned on 4 February 1988.
Accessing the building, with construction nearby:
The new Women’s and Children’s Hospital is being built next to Adelaide Gaol (as at January 2025). The gaol is open as usual, but there are some changes to how you can access it.
You can only get to the gaol through Bonython Park/Tulya Wardli. Enter Bonython Park from Port Road and follow the signs. Ample free parking is available on-site — use the entry at Port Road and Phillips Street or the Bonython Park Playspace carpark.
Undertaking a tour
You can discover the gaol’s rich history on a self-led tour at your own pace, and it’s recommended that you allow up to two hours for the experience. See the gaol’s website for prices.
You’re given a map and can then follow the trail. (Upon entry, my boys were intrigued that gaol was spelled the British way, rather than the American!)
The gaol is based on the semicircular design of Pentonville Prison in the UK. As some parts of it are outdoors, it’s a good idea to bring a hat if it’s a hot day.
Along the way, we learned about early prison life (which certainly wasn’t glamorous or social) to the gaol’s closure in the late 1980s. Before the tour, I hadn’t realised the gaol had even been open as late as then!
Tour highlights include its interactive museum, where you can try on handcuffs and leg irons and have a go at unpicking locks; an archaeological dig site, showcasing finds from prisoner activities over the years; and a mugshot exhibition, telling the stories of nine convicted prisoners, many of whom were hanged for their crimes.
One of the most chilling sites to visit is the hanging tower, which was operational during 1953 and 1964. Bleakness lingers in the air; I didn’t want to spend much time there. There are also portable gallows, dating from 1861.
When it comes to your kids, it will depend on their ages and personalities regarding how much you wish to expose them to while there.
In the school holidays, there are also different activities that youngsters can undertake to score a special badge. During our visit, there was a ‘gaol break’ activity, in which our boys had to read real-life escape stories along the way and guess if the prisoners managed to escape or were caught.
Fuel up at the on-site canteen
After exploring the site and boosting your step count, you can satiate your hunger at the Mugshot Canteen. It opened on-site in November 2024.
Whether you’re after a quick snack or something more filling, there’s plenty to choose from, including tasty wraps, toasties, classic hot dogs, and fresh coffee. It definitely isn’t old-school, slop-style prison food!
Relaxing in the canteen was the perfect way to cap off our visit, where we could tuck into yummy fare and marvel at all we had seen and learned about that day. (There’s also a gift shop next door if you wish to take home a prison-inspired souvenir.)
For a thought-provoking, enriching, unique experience, it’s well worth escaping to Adelaide Gaol.
Location:
18 Gaol Road, Adelaide (just off Port Road, next to the Police Barracks and the Royal Adelaide Hospital)
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Adelaide Gaol website.
All photos by James Elsby for Play & Go Adelaide
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. All photos are by Play & Go (unless specified).
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