~ Attractions in Melbourne: From Churches to Gaols ~

We have just returned from a trip to Melbourne and Sydney. It was mainly to catch up with our son and daughter-in-law and visit friends. Having seen much of Melbourne already we had to come up with something different to do. We caught the tram into town which is now free, we stopped first for a coffee. You can’t beat the coffee in Melbourne. I saw from the maps that Melbourne Gaol was only a short walk away. I do like an Australian prison, so much history.

We popped into The Scots’ Church on the way and were surprised at the size inside. Built in 1874, a prominent example of Gothic Revival.

Just opposite was another church. In Central Melbourne there are 111 active churches.

Built between 1863 and 1866 in the Lombardic Romanesque style.

The Abode Building – noted for its cascading facade, standing next to Iglu Melbourne Central – student accommodation.

Melbourne has such wonderful architecturally designed buildings, each one very different.

Melbourne Gaol is a great place to spend a morning or afternoon. It’s full of interesting history and artefacts. In nearly every cell there is information of former inmates. The most infamous of all was Ned Kelly. He remains a divisive figure in Australia, regarded variously as a Robin Hood-like folk hero and symbol of national identity, or as a murderous villain. He demanded justice for the downtrodden and the rural poor. Wearing a handmade suit of bullet proof armour he evaded the police for years. Ned Kelly was eventually captured in 1880 and executed in Melbourne Gaol.

Here I am modelling Ned Kelly’s suit of armour. I simply couldn’t resist. Anthony looked on in amazement as I struggled to put this on.

The imposing entrance

Inside the cells, seems there is one inmate still serving time.

“Phrenology gained wide acceptance in the late 19th century, with the making of death masks becoming standard practice. The brains of hundreds of criminals were examined after death, as well as those of many eminent people. Eventually the results showed that most criminals had similar sized brains to other citizens.”
Science has definitely come along way since! These scientists should have had their own heads examined.

And that concludes our tour of Melbourne Gaol.

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