There is shiver down the spine as you imagine the execution of a prisoner in 1950’s Darwin. The gallows are a vivid reminder of the gaol’s past history. Fannie Gaol is a #visitDarwinmustgo for morbid history buffs. Fannie Bay Gaol is a historic Darwin city prison, now a museum with old cell blocks, execution gallows & kitchens on display. Find out things to do and how to get to Fannie Bay Gaol.
FANNIE BAY GAOL – FACTS
- FREE ENTRY – REQUEST FOR DONATIONS
- NO CAFE ON SITE – TOILETS & WATER FOUNTAIN
- NO SHADE (CARRY AN UMBRELLA)
- AUDIO TOUR – DOWNLOAD APP
Fannie Bay Gaol operated as Her Majesty’s Gaol and Labour Prison from 1883 until 1979. The original buildings are an evocative statement of the nineteenth attitudes to incarnation. The 1920 female cells are a stern, stark reminder of the bleak conditions.
The prison had a native section for Aboriginal prisoners which is a reminder of the questions around the incarnation of Aboriginal prisoners in conditions that were extremely oppressive. A highlight for many gaol buffs is the rare gallows constructed for the last two hangings in the Northern Territory in 1952.
Fannie Bay Gaol has plenty of information plaques with clearly marked trail arrows from the former prison cells, women’s prison block, kitchens, ‘native section’ and watch tower and gallows.
WHAT TO DO NEARBY FANNIE BAY GAOL, DARWIN?
- Darwin Military Museum, make sure to catch the vivid short video about Darwin’s World War II bombing
- East Point Park and lake, great picnic destination
- East Point Park & Reserve mangrove boardwalk, look down and out for wildlife including a crocodile sunning on the rocks
- Weekend Parap market
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Visitors will be impressed by the personal stories of the inmates and gaolers. There is a free audio tour narrated by Larrakia Elder Dr Richard Fejo. Step back into the time of 1883 to 1979.
WHERE IS FANNIE GAOL, DARWIN LOCATED?
East Point Rd &, Ross Smith Ave, Fannie Bay NT 0820, Australia
Darwin public bus service, catch route 4 bus. The bus interchange is the easiest stop for out of town visitors to hop aboard. Check Darwin Bus for details. Route 4 stops includes popular attractions such as Crocosaurus Cove, Mindil Beach Sunset Market, Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory, and Fannie Bay Gaol. To travel on a public bus in Darwin and Alice Springs, you need a valid ticket or Tap and Ride card.
DARWIN BIG BUS HOP ON & HOP OFF, stop 9 is the nearest stop
Walking distance from Parap market (weekend only)
20 minutes, 1.6 km
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