Cascades Female Factory facts for kids
Cascades Female Factory, circa 1914–41
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| Location | South Hobart, Tasmania |
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| Coordinates | 42°53′38″S 147°17′57″E / 42.8938°S 147.2993°E |
| Status | UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Security class | Former female factory, penal colony |
| Opened | 1828 |
| Closed | 1856 |
| Managed by | Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority |
| Type: | Cultural |
| Criteria: | iv, vi |
| Designated: | 2010 (34th session) |
| Part of: | Australian Convict Sites |
| Reference #: | 1306 |
| State Party: |  Australia |
| Region: | Asia-Pacific |
The Cascades Female Factory was a special prison for women convicts in Hobart, Tasmania. It was part of a "penal colony," which was a place where people sent from Britain as punishment had to live and work. This factory operated from 1828 to 1856.
Today, the Cascades Female Factory is one of 11 places that make up the Australian Convict Sites. These sites are listed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO. This means they are very important historical places recognized around the world.
These sites show how convicts were sent from Britain to Australia. They also show how punishment and ideas about changing people developed over time. The Cascades Female Factory specifically tells the story of women convicts. It helps us understand how sending convicts away helped Britain expand its influence. It also shows how women convicts were punished and how people tried to make them change their ways.
Now, the site is a museum and a place for tourists to visit. The Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority takes care of it.
Contents
History of the Female Factory
In the 1820s, some rooms in the Macquarie Street Gaol in Hobart were used as a temporary "Female Factory." The Cascades Female Factory was built specifically for this purpose in 1828. It was used as a convict facility until 1856.
Why the Factory Was Built
The main reason for building the factory was to keep women convicts away from the city of Hobart. People at the time believed this would protect the women from bad influences. It was also thought to protect society from what was seen as their negative impact.
Life at the Factory
However, the factory was built on wet, swampy land. It often had too many people living there. The sanitation was poor, and there wasn't enough food or proper clothes. Because of these harsh conditions, many women and children living there became sick. Sadly, many also died.
A Special Heritage Site
The Cascades Female Factory is the only female factory that still has parts of its original buildings. These remains help us understand what these places were like. It is listed on the Australian National Heritage List. In July 2010, it was added to the World Heritage List, along with ten other Australian convict sites.
Today, the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site includes three of its original five yards. It is open every day except Christmas. Visitors can take different tours to learn about its history.
See also
In Spanish: Prisión femenina de Cascades para niños
