A Travellerspoint blog

The Gaol - Just Visiting!

Note: Gaol is an alternative spelling of jail, and it means the same thing

sunny 73 °F
View 50th Anniversary - 2023 on Where2FromHere's travel map.

We have kind of a nice routine now that we've recovered from our jet lag ...
An early morning breakfast of an Omelet of the day made by Chef Greg as well as some of the famous Melbourne coffee and some of the best whole wheat bread I've ever feasted on.
Then off on the CBD (Central Business District) tram ... which is free and takes you anywhere within the district that lies parallel to the river.
Today we went to the Melbourne Gaol .. based on a recommendation from our neighbor David Kelly.
Quite an interesting place - where 133 convicts were executed by hanging from the mid 1880s until about 1920. See the hanging rope on the second floor - still the original beam the rope hung from. Just visiting was enough to make you feel for the men, women and children .. yes children, as young as 3 years of age, who wound up inside for things as minor a being a vagrant. It existed mainly as punishment, not rehabilitation.
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The last photo is the body "armour" that Ned Kelly, a famous Aussie criminal wore .. however it didn't protect his arms and legs so he ended up in the prison with 26 gunshot wounds to the exposed parts of his body and was later executed .. They're still uncertain where his skull is .. somehow its gone missing from the graveyard.
My question to Dave, our neighbor ... this "Kelly" isn't a relation of yours is he by chance??!!

After our visit to the Melbourne Gaol, we stopped for a Mocha Frapachino, I added a mug to my Starbucks collection from around the world and we headed back to our hotel to enjoy a dip in the rooftop pool. A beautiful day in a very interesting city. Tomorrow we leave for Tasmania .. hope to see you there!

Posted by Where2FromHere 03:42 Archived in Australia

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