Saturdays and Sundays
2pm – 4pm
Tour departs from Clarke Street Gate and ends in the Convent Courtyard.
$60 per adult
Recommended for ages 13+
Saturdays and Sundays
2pm – 4pm
Tour departs from Clarke Street Gate and ends in the Convent Courtyard.
$60 per adult
Recommended for ages 13+
Behind these familiar gates are stories most people never hear. Women and girls whose daily lives were shaped by this place, and whose work, obedience, friendships, and resilience helped keep it running.
On this two-hour walk, you’ll move through the grounds where girls woke before dawn to work in the laundries, where silence and routine were used as discipline, and where care often came with control. You’ll learn how young women were separated from their families, how unpaid labour supported the institution, and how faith shaped everyday life inside the Convent.
But this is not only a story of harm. You’ll also encounter quieter, human moments. Friendships formed under watchful eyes. Moments of dignity found in difficult conditions. Girls supporting one another within a system far bigger than themselves.
This tour is a powerful window into Victoria and Australia’s complex history of social welfare, and how places like the Abbotsford Convent shaped lives, communities, and the country far beyond its gates.
This tour covers just over 1km in 2 hours, moving at a very relaxed pace. There are a few chances to pause in the shade and sit down along the way. The route includes some uneven footpaths and loose gravel, but no stairs.
If you have accessibility requirements, please contact She Shapes History before booking so they can advise whether the route is suitable.
The Abbotsford Convent shaped the lives of thousands of women and children, and their experiences were not the same. The tour includes discussion of some difficult topics, including sexism, racism and institutionalisation.
For this reason, this tour is recommended for people aged 13+.
