Stories from the Gaol Cells

Discover the captivating stories of prisoners and law enforcement officials through the Old Courthouse Complex’s audio-visual heritage interpretation, “Stories from the Gaol Cells.”

This engaging exhibit features videos, audio stories, and interpretive signage throughout the Courthouse’s gaol cells and rooms, sharing true accounts of those who served time within. Learn about various crimes, notorious escapees, and the contrasting fates of convicts - one who became a respectable farmer and another who escaped from Fremantle Prison.

Listen to the Constable’s wife describe what it was like to ‘have a stay’ as she delivers the evening meal, and watch a wife represent her absent husband for their children’s truancy, highlighting the hardships of farm life. Experience the confinement of a vacant cell, imagining a stay of up to six months in this space with a basic bed and a toilet bucket in the corner.

At the end of the cell corridor, the Aboriginal cell offers a stark reflection on the historical treatment of First Nations People. This cell, with timber bars and shackles and jarrah block floor, is not enclosed like the others.

In the Exercise Yard, hear true stories from prisoners of the 1970s and inspect the vandalised metal-clad door that once locked them inside. These narratives are accessible via QR codes, adding a modern approach to interpretation.

Free to experience

Old Courthouse Complex Opening Hours:

Monday to Friday ~ 10am – 4pm

Saturday and Sunday ~ 10am – 1pm