Trial Bay Gaol: Life behind bars kids tour
Arakoon National Park
Overview
Come along and find out what life behind bars was really like for the prisoners at Trial Bay Gaol, in Arakoon National Park near South West Rocks. Explore the gaol on this action-packed family tour.
- When
Tour time: 4.30pm to 6pm
Every Monday from Monday 30 December 2024 to Monday 20 January 2025.
Every Wednesday from Wednesday 8 January to Wednesday 29 January 2025.
Additional dates: Thursday 2 January 2025.
- Accessibility
- Hard
- Grade
- Easy. Suitable for all ages, particularly children aged 5 to 12 years. Younger children are welcome with close parental supervision. All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. You'll be walking over uneven surfaces, grass areas and paved stonework.
- Price
-
Adult $20 per person. Child (5 to 16 years) $10 per person. Children under 5 free. Family $50 for 2 adults and 2 children.
- Meeting point
- Entrance to Trial Bay Gaol.
- What to
bring - Sturdy shoes, suitable clothing
- Bookings
- Bookings required. Phone 1300 072 757 for more information or book online.
Trial Bay Gaol in Arakoon National Park is brimming with stories. Join us these school holidays, as we explore the gaol and learn about its history. Its mysterious towers, impenetrable walls and rows of old cells are sure to ignite the imaginations of young and old alike.
There'll be fun activities, games and treasure hunting. We'll use photo cards to locate special items and places. Come and play some old-fashioned German games, including Kegel bowling. Build a wall just like the gaol's prisoners did. Search for the missing gaol keys to earn your release!
This tour is great for the whole family. You'll leave with a greater insight into the lives of the prisoners of the past.
Don’t forget to wear enclosed shoes and weather appropriate clothing. Bring along a small hand torch if the tour continues after sunset.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/guided-tours/trial-bay-gaol-life-behind-bars-kids-tour/local-alerts
Bookings
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Operated by
- NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
Park info
- in Arakoon National Park in the North Coast region
Arakoon National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Trial Bay Gaol: Life behind bars kids tour.
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
Trial Bay Gaol is in the Trial Bay Gaol precinct of Arakoon National Park.
From South West Rocks:
- Follow Phillip Drive
- Turn left onto Cardwell Street
- Continue along Cardwell Street until you reach Trial Bay Gaol
Road quality
- Sealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- All weather
Parking
Free parking available.
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - hard
- Some areas are hard to access, with narrow corridors and steps
- We’ll be walking over uneven surfaces, grass areas and paved stonework
- Accessible toilets are available
Learn more
Trial Bay Gaol: Life behind bars kids tour is in Arakoon National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Abundant bird life
Birds are abundant in Arakoon National Park. In wetland areas, you might see black swans, egrets, herons and spoonbills. On the heath, there are fantails, wrens, honeyeaters and quails. Hawks, falcons, ospreys and eagles soar above the cliffs and forage along the beaches. During the spring, when the she-oaks produce fruit, glossy black cockatoos come in to feed on the ripe seeds. Despite its small size, Arakoon harbours several threatened species, including the osprey and glossy black cockatoo. You're also likely to spot wallabies and echidnas, and the nocturnal brush-tailed phascogales and sugar gliders. During September and October, you can often see humpback whales just offshore, on their return journey to Antarctica.
Fascinating heritage
Dating from 1886, Trial Bay Gaol is a unique example of a public works prison. It was also used as an internment camp in World War I and today the ruins continue to intrigue visitors. It'll take you about an hour to wander through the gaol and the museum. The region has high cultural and spiritual significance to the local Dunghutti people.
- Bridle trail Bridle Trail walking track is an easy short walk offering a glimpse of the historic heritage of Trial Bay Gaol in Arakoon National Park near Kempsey.
- Friends of Trial Bay Gaol The historic ruins of Trial Bay Gaol, in Arakoon National Park on the NSW Mid North Coast, are a significant heritage area. Friends of Trial Bay Gaol invite you to volunteer to help in the protection and promotion of this amazing piece of local history, especially during the annual Sculpture in the Gaol.
- Heritage detectives Help unlock mysteries of the past while exploring historic Trial Bay Gaol from top to bottom. Who were the prisoners and where did they came from? What crimes did they commit to deserve their punishment and what work they carry out in captivity?
- History mysteries Explore the old granite gaol at Trial Bay and help to unlock mysteries of the past on the History Mysteries school excursion. This is a Stage 2 (Years 3-4) excursion to Arakoon National Park, focusing on History.
- Monument Hill walking track Featuring stunning coastal views, the easy Monument Hill walk takes in the historic monument built for German gaol internees before finishing at Little Bay picnic area.
Ideal family getaway
Arakoon National Park is in a magnificent natural setting with a spectacular coastline. There are coastal walks with wonderful views and places to picnic and excellent beachside camping and cottage accommodation. If you’re looking for a place to swim and snorkel, head to sheltered Trial Bay and the kiosk is nearby if you’re looking for a relaxed lunch or dinner. The picnic area at Little Bay is popular with young families, offering barbecues and a large grassed area for games.
- Front Beach Front Beach offers family friendly options including swimming, paddling, liloing and picnicking in Arakoon National Park on the mid North Coast of NSW.
- Little Bay picnic area Little Bay, a popular beach picnic spot near South West Rocks on the north coast where you’ll find shaded tables and a kangaroo or two.
Scenic headlands
The Smoky Cape Adamellite which forms Little Smoky and the Arakoon peninsula is significant as the only coastal outcropping of granite between Bundaberg in Queensland and Moruya Heads in southern NSW. It was used to construct the prison. The naturally vegetated hillslopes of Arakoon form a scenic backdrop to Trial Bay and the popular holiday town of South West Rocks.
- 2-day Port Macquarie motorcycle adventure Enjoy superb scenery as you ride through Arakoon National Park and beyond on this guided adventure with Endeavour Motorcycle Tours, near Port Macquarie.
- Bridle trail Bridle Trail walking track is an easy short walk offering a glimpse of the historic heritage of Trial Bay Gaol in Arakoon National Park near Kempsey.
- Heritage detectives Help unlock mysteries of the past while exploring historic Trial Bay Gaol from top to bottom. Who were the prisoners and where did they came from? What crimes did they commit to deserve their punishment and what work they carry out in captivity?
- Mermaid Pools Mermaid Pools is closed to visitors because it's extremely unsafe for swimming. Many people have been seriously injured here. The pools are located near South West Rocks and Trial Bay in Arakoon National Park.
- Monument Hill walking track Featuring stunning coastal views, the easy Monument Hill walk takes in the historic monument built for German gaol internees before finishing at Little Bay picnic area.
Traditional lands of Dunghutti people
The region surrounding Arakoon National Park has high cultural and spiritual significance to the local Dunghutti people. There are numerous Aboriginal sites within the park of great spiritual and cultural significance, with dreaming stories and cultural learning part of them, still passed on today. These include middens, stone arrangements and spiritual sites. We work with local Aboriginal communities to protect this rich culture.
Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
-
White-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
White-bellied sea eagles can be easily identified by their white tail and dark grey wings. These raptors are often spotted cruising the coastal breezes throughout Australia, and make for some scenic bird watching. Powerful Australian birds of prey, they are known to mate for life, and return each year to the same nest to breed.
-
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
The humpback whale has the longest migratory path of any mammal, travelling over 5000km from its summer feeding grounds in Antarctica to its breeding grounds in the subtropics. Its playful antics, such as body-rolling, breaching and pectoral slapping, are a spectacular sight for whale watchers in NSW national parks.
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Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)
The swamp wallaby, also known as the black wallaby or black pademelon, lives in the dense understorey of rainforests, woodlands and dry sclerophyll forest along eastern Australia. This unique Australian macropod has a dark black-grey coat with a distinctive light-coloured cheek stripe.
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Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)
One of only 2 egg-laying mammals in the world, the short-beaked echidna is one of the most widespread of Australian native animals. Covered in spines, or quills, they’re equipped with a keen sense of smell and a tube-like snout which they use to break apart termite mounds in search of ants.