An excursion to Cascades Female Factory Historic Site is an immersive learning experience. Our tours and workshops bring to life the stories of the women who spent time here and offer students opportunities to develop a deeper understanding of the female convict perspective.

Site entry (self-guided visit)

Price: $5.50 per student

Explore the Cascades Female Factory with your students with support from our audio experience which provides an overview of the history of the site, as well as the stories of the women and children that spent time here.

Tours & Workshops

Dive deeper into the history of the Cascades Female Factory by including a tour and/or workshop as part of your visit. Each of our tours and workshops are 1 hour in duration.

1-hour program: Select one tour OR one workshop

2-hour program: Select one tour AND one workshop

Please note: The program prices listed below are charged in addition to site entry ($5.50 per student) and are current for 2025.

Tour | Convict Life at the Cascades Female Factory

Recommended level: Years 4 – 12
Price: $4.50 per student (min. 15 students)

On this guided tour, discover what life was like for convicts at the Cascades Female Factory. From the rules and regulations of the site, daily life and living conditions, and the types of work convicts undertook, students will learn women’s stories of resilience.

Tour | Notorious Strumpets & Dangerous Girls

Recommended level: Years 7 – 12
Price: $6.50 per student (min. 15 students)

Explore the stories of seven convict women who demonstrated remarkable resilience on this guided tour of the Cascades Female Factory. Described as ‘notorious strumpets’, students will understand that there was more to these women than society at the time would have us believe.

Workshop | Task Work: Spinning & Weaving

Recommended level: Years 5 – 9
Cost: $6.50 per student (min. 15 students)

In this workshop, students learn about the nature of work at the Female Factory. They explore the process of carding, spinning, and weaving and understand the process of transforming wool into something that could be used or sold. Suitable for middle years students.

Maximum 30 students per session.

Workshop | Historical Archaeology at the Cascades Female Factory

Recommended level: Years 7 – 12
Cost: $6.50 per student (min. 15 students)

In this hands-on workshop, students investigate the finds from the excavation of Yard 3 of the Female Factory. They learn how to analyse artefacts and how archaeologists use this information, alongside written records, to answer questions about the past. Suitable for secondary students.

Maximum 30 students per session.