Rivulet Retreat

Beneath the shadow of Mount Wellington, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cascades Female Factory is the best place to connect with some of the lesser-known stories of Australia's female convicts. It is located in South Hobart, only a short distance from the Hobart waterfront. The Cascades Female Factory was a self-contained, purpose-built institution intended to reform female convicts, where the inmates did laundry and needlework services, offsetting some of the Colony's penal costs. Thousands of women and children were imprisoned here, and many never left. The Convict Women's Tour is a comprehensive guided tour of the Site. It lasts approximately 45 minutes. The first tour starts at 10 am. The new Notorious Strumpets and Dangerous Girls is an emotional journey through the stories of seven remarkable convict women who faced life's hardships with resilience. Allow approximately 60 minutes. Every day at 11:30am and 1:00pm.

A concert shaped by stories of women and place In this special curated performance, Meg Washington weaves her songs with stories and works that resonate with the women's histories of the World Heritage‑listed Cascades Female Factory. Set within the evocative surrounds of this historic site, Meg offers a rare and contemplative concert honouring women's experiences of resilience, labour, separation and community. Drawing from her catalogue, she curates a luminous set interlaced with songs and reflections chosen for their connection to the stories held in this place, once a site of confinement for convict women and girls, and now a space dedicated to amplifying their voices. The Cascades Female Factory shares the histories of convict women and girls in Van Diemen's Land/Tasmania, their work, regulation and survival, and today stands as a World Heritage‑listed place of remembrance and learning. We invite audiences to approach this performance with care and respect for the stories embedded in the site. To help you enjoy this outdoor performance, please note that there is only limited seating on site, so please bring your own chair if you want to be guaranteed a seat. This is an all-weather event. We will go ahead if it rains, and bad weather does not warrant a refund on event tickets.

Experience the Hobart Rivulet through the eyes of its most dedicated observer. This two-hour walking tour is an immersive deep-dive into the secret world of the Hobart Rivulet platypus, led by local naturalist Pete Walsh. Pete founded Hobart Rivulet Platypus in 2020, a community organization dedicated to the conservation of the city's urban platypus population. His grassroots advocacy inspired the ABC/PBS documentary The Platypus Guardian (2023). It's more than just a tour! Your ticket directly funds their conservation, rescue, and advocacy work, ensuring your visit leaves a lasting, positive legacy for Hobart's urban platypus.