Louisa's Walk
Louisa's Walk
5
This location was reported permanently closed
About
Louisa's Walk is a piece of Strolling Theatre or Walking Play that takes you on a journey into the life of Louisa Ragan, an Irish convict, sent to Van Diemen's Land on a seven year sentence, in 1841, for stealing a loaf of bread. You walk with the actors as they tell Louisa's story. You will meet Louisa outside the famous Cascade Brewery building in South Hobart. You will walk through the beautiful Cascade Gardens along to the World Heritage listed Cascades Female Factory Historic Site where Louisa was imprisoned. Once you enter those locked gates, they are shut behind you and you experience life in this harsh prison. You may laugh and you may cry but you will remember Louisa's story!
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingWhat is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
677 within 5 kms
Attractions
246 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
581 reviews
Excellent
511
Very good
56
Average
11
Poor
2
Terrible
1
ToddlerTales
Perth, Australia304 contributions
What a wonderful way to spend 2 hours, informative and interesting. You'll cry, laugh and come away a lot more informed about the role of women in penal colony Australia and the very under rated Female Factory.
We all loved it, from the grandparents to the 6yr old. Beautiful scenery and even better storytellers.
Make sure this is part of your Hobart experience.
We all loved it, from the grandparents to the 6yr old. Beautiful scenery and even better storytellers.
Make sure this is part of your Hobart experience.
Written 15 May 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wolin
Sydney278 contributions
June 2013 • Couples
The two people who play the characters are trained actors. This shows in the professionalism and quality of the production. We really enjoyed the tour, the history and the play. It is a strolling play through South Hobart and the Female Factory. The story was very moving, I found myself transported (pun intended) to early Van Diemen's Land. Take your imagination and have a great time.
Rug up for winter. It is a leisurely stroll, but open to the weather.
Rug up for winter. It is a leisurely stroll, but open to the weather.
Written 23 June 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alan_Kay
Wollongong, Australia184 contributions
Dec 2012 • Couples
At the time of writing Louisa's Walk was (and may still be) the top rated attraction on Trip Advisor... and deservedly so in my opinion. Most readers of this review probably know the gist of it; it's live theatre conducted over the course of a walk.
The walk begins at the Cascade Brewery (the oldest in Australia) in Cascade Road South Hobart. The brewery does have a visitors' car park but it's not exactly spacious; it holds somewhere between 1 and 2 dozen cars, but was full on the day that we were there. However the area is not heavily built up and it appears that there is plenty of on street parking; we found a spot easily. Alternatively the Red Decker Bus service stops right outside the brewery's visitors' centre. However I'd be wary about using that option as based on the downloaded timetable the bus doesn't stop there after the walk ends; the last service is half an hour earlier. Personally I'm glad to have driven.
Incidentally, if you get there early enough I do recommend having lunch in the cafe in the Brewery's visitor centre before setting out on the walk. Based on what we had (in my case a very nicely cooked and well sized steak) the food is good and the prices were in the middle of the range for better quality café food. The setting is very appealing with floor to ceiling glass windows looking out over an expansive garden. There's a bonus if you're a beer connoisseur since you can sample as many of the Cascade products as you have a taste for, with some of them used in the preparation of some dishes such as the damper. (There are tours of the brewery as well, but that's a different conversation.)
Louisa's walk begins at the entrance to the main brewery across the road from the visitors centre / cafe and you'd be hard-pressed to miss Louisa standing there in her period dress. You need to be there about 10 minutes before the start of the tour, and there are shady trees to stand under while you wait for the rest of the group to arrive.
The walk passes through the Cascade Gardens parkland and on to Degraves Street, where the remains of the old Female Factory (a prison and alleged "reformatory" for female convicts) can be found.
The walk is easy for anyone who has even a moderate level of fitness. There were a few stairs which may be a problem for people with extremely limited mobility, but not that many of them. If the weather is sunny (it was in the mid 20's on the day we went) I do recommend having sunglasses and sunscreen with you; yes, even in Tasmania it's possible to get sunburnt (as we did, slightly). You may also want to carry a bottle of water. There is a visitors' centre in the remains of the Female Factory which sells cold drinks, ice creams and (rather nice) fudge (as well as publications about the site), but you're about 90 minutes into the walk before you get to that. Although I didn't have my tongue hanging out by that point I was regretting not having the foresight to bring some. (The centre also has some rest rooms.)
You'll be on your feet for most of the two hour walk (there are a couple of times when you can take a seat) but again it's not going to be an issue for even the moderately fit.
There are two players; a man and a woman who tell the tale of an Irish female convict who had been transported to the then Van Diemen's Land for the theft of a loaf of bread, as was the fashion at the time. The story is claimed to be that of one specific person, but with the name changed to protect the privacy of her descendants. The female member of the pair (normally a woman named Judith, but on the day that we were there a younger understudy named Briony) plays Louisa, while the male member (Chris, Judith's husband I understand) has a slightly tougher gig. He plays many parts with only small changes of clothing accessories, changes of accents and of changes of general demeanour to move between different characters, some of whom are intensely dislikeable, others extremely likeable, and the remainder everything in between. This is something that he pulls it off extremely well.
Briony had to overcome one principal obstacle as well, though; she was clearly a lot younger than the real Louisa could have been to have children of the ages mentioned. That meant that she had a hard sell to place herself in that role until your imagination kicked in. She also seemed to be disconcertingly chipper about being consigned to the prison hulks early in the show. However ultimately she had what it takes to pull it off. I recall a moment later in the show where a small personal item was taken away from her by the overseer. All she had to express the effect of this action was a look and a stance. And yet I could feel my jaw tightening in response to how unfair it was as she conveyed how even the smallest part of Louisa's world had been taken away from her; first her freedom, her family, her home, and now even just a small possession that could have provided her with some tiny amount of comfort in her prison. A look was all it took for her to do that.
And this is the key thing to be aware of with this experience; if you're expecting a 3D multimedia audiovisual extravaganza, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. At the outset Louisa tells you that the main thing she requires of you is that you bring your imagination, and you must. There is no opportunity for makeup to change the actors' appearances, no opportunity for major costume changes or changes to scenery or backdrops. All they have is a few accessories to change as the story moves along from 1840's London (at the start of the tour), through the courts, the transport to Tasmania (as you move through the Gardens) and finally to the Female Factory which is a mere shell of its former self. Although the actors explain in some detail (and explain well) how the site was laid out, and although there are a few foundations which give you an insight to the size and shape of the cells, for the most part you need to create the place and the conditions in your own mind. (The Factory was a place of shadows, where little light came in. In its current state this isn't something that you could easily see on a sunny day such as the one that we went on, unless you see it in your mind's eye.)
However this is probably the reason that the tour HAS received such a high rating. I'm sure that we've all been to shows and exhibits where everything is laid on for you leaving you as a passive observer, and have walked away thinking "Wow, that was awesome", but then barely remember it 6 month later. In this case, however, you have to immerse yourself in the show, to create the sights and sounds and senses and scenes in your own mind, which gives a greater investment in the performance. It therefore leaves a much more profound impact.
(I should clarify one thing there; in terms of audience participation, the players do ask you to do things like lining up occasionally. They will also ask questions of the audience as a whole from time to time, and one or two members are singled out for some minor and occasional participatory roles; however they're pretty good at picking who's not interested in doing that and leaving them in the background. If someone was chronically shy they may feel uncomfortable about that, but even then they'd need to work at it, I think. As I said, your main participation is painting the images of 170 years ago on the canvas of your own mind.)
This is an uncommon experience, and despite me giving you the overall layout of how it works in this review, nothing compares to experiencing it for yourself; the experience for each person is bound to be different. It's an experience that I would highly recommend.
The walk begins at the Cascade Brewery (the oldest in Australia) in Cascade Road South Hobart. The brewery does have a visitors' car park but it's not exactly spacious; it holds somewhere between 1 and 2 dozen cars, but was full on the day that we were there. However the area is not heavily built up and it appears that there is plenty of on street parking; we found a spot easily. Alternatively the Red Decker Bus service stops right outside the brewery's visitors' centre. However I'd be wary about using that option as based on the downloaded timetable the bus doesn't stop there after the walk ends; the last service is half an hour earlier. Personally I'm glad to have driven.
Incidentally, if you get there early enough I do recommend having lunch in the cafe in the Brewery's visitor centre before setting out on the walk. Based on what we had (in my case a very nicely cooked and well sized steak) the food is good and the prices were in the middle of the range for better quality café food. The setting is very appealing with floor to ceiling glass windows looking out over an expansive garden. There's a bonus if you're a beer connoisseur since you can sample as many of the Cascade products as you have a taste for, with some of them used in the preparation of some dishes such as the damper. (There are tours of the brewery as well, but that's a different conversation.)
Louisa's walk begins at the entrance to the main brewery across the road from the visitors centre / cafe and you'd be hard-pressed to miss Louisa standing there in her period dress. You need to be there about 10 minutes before the start of the tour, and there are shady trees to stand under while you wait for the rest of the group to arrive.
The walk passes through the Cascade Gardens parkland and on to Degraves Street, where the remains of the old Female Factory (a prison and alleged "reformatory" for female convicts) can be found.
The walk is easy for anyone who has even a moderate level of fitness. There were a few stairs which may be a problem for people with extremely limited mobility, but not that many of them. If the weather is sunny (it was in the mid 20's on the day we went) I do recommend having sunglasses and sunscreen with you; yes, even in Tasmania it's possible to get sunburnt (as we did, slightly). You may also want to carry a bottle of water. There is a visitors' centre in the remains of the Female Factory which sells cold drinks, ice creams and (rather nice) fudge (as well as publications about the site), but you're about 90 minutes into the walk before you get to that. Although I didn't have my tongue hanging out by that point I was regretting not having the foresight to bring some. (The centre also has some rest rooms.)
You'll be on your feet for most of the two hour walk (there are a couple of times when you can take a seat) but again it's not going to be an issue for even the moderately fit.
There are two players; a man and a woman who tell the tale of an Irish female convict who had been transported to the then Van Diemen's Land for the theft of a loaf of bread, as was the fashion at the time. The story is claimed to be that of one specific person, but with the name changed to protect the privacy of her descendants. The female member of the pair (normally a woman named Judith, but on the day that we were there a younger understudy named Briony) plays Louisa, while the male member (Chris, Judith's husband I understand) has a slightly tougher gig. He plays many parts with only small changes of clothing accessories, changes of accents and of changes of general demeanour to move between different characters, some of whom are intensely dislikeable, others extremely likeable, and the remainder everything in between. This is something that he pulls it off extremely well.
Briony had to overcome one principal obstacle as well, though; she was clearly a lot younger than the real Louisa could have been to have children of the ages mentioned. That meant that she had a hard sell to place herself in that role until your imagination kicked in. She also seemed to be disconcertingly chipper about being consigned to the prison hulks early in the show. However ultimately she had what it takes to pull it off. I recall a moment later in the show where a small personal item was taken away from her by the overseer. All she had to express the effect of this action was a look and a stance. And yet I could feel my jaw tightening in response to how unfair it was as she conveyed how even the smallest part of Louisa's world had been taken away from her; first her freedom, her family, her home, and now even just a small possession that could have provided her with some tiny amount of comfort in her prison. A look was all it took for her to do that.
And this is the key thing to be aware of with this experience; if you're expecting a 3D multimedia audiovisual extravaganza, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. At the outset Louisa tells you that the main thing she requires of you is that you bring your imagination, and you must. There is no opportunity for makeup to change the actors' appearances, no opportunity for major costume changes or changes to scenery or backdrops. All they have is a few accessories to change as the story moves along from 1840's London (at the start of the tour), through the courts, the transport to Tasmania (as you move through the Gardens) and finally to the Female Factory which is a mere shell of its former self. Although the actors explain in some detail (and explain well) how the site was laid out, and although there are a few foundations which give you an insight to the size and shape of the cells, for the most part you need to create the place and the conditions in your own mind. (The Factory was a place of shadows, where little light came in. In its current state this isn't something that you could easily see on a sunny day such as the one that we went on, unless you see it in your mind's eye.)
However this is probably the reason that the tour HAS received such a high rating. I'm sure that we've all been to shows and exhibits where everything is laid on for you leaving you as a passive observer, and have walked away thinking "Wow, that was awesome", but then barely remember it 6 month later. In this case, however, you have to immerse yourself in the show, to create the sights and sounds and senses and scenes in your own mind, which gives a greater investment in the performance. It therefore leaves a much more profound impact.
(I should clarify one thing there; in terms of audience participation, the players do ask you to do things like lining up occasionally. They will also ask questions of the audience as a whole from time to time, and one or two members are singled out for some minor and occasional participatory roles; however they're pretty good at picking who's not interested in doing that and leaving them in the background. If someone was chronically shy they may feel uncomfortable about that, but even then they'd need to work at it, I think. As I said, your main participation is painting the images of 170 years ago on the canvas of your own mind.)
This is an uncommon experience, and despite me giving you the overall layout of how it works in this review, nothing compares to experiencing it for yourself; the experience for each person is bound to be different. It's an experience that I would highly recommend.
Written 15 December 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What a wonderful, detailed review! We do thank this contributor for taking so much time to write this, I am sure it will be very helpful to other TripAdvisor readers.
The comments are very thoughtful and insightful and reflect much of why Louisa's Walk is so memorable.
Written 2 January 2013
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
stephen-smian
Goughs Bay, Australia7 contributions
July 2012 • Family
Our family of 5 (14 year old & twin 9 year olds) went for a walk with Louisa this past week and it was the highlight of our time in Hobart. It was really well done and and our kids - who are normally at the "I'm bored" stage - were spellbound. Highly recommend
Written 8 July 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
roebuck47
York, England16 contributions
If you have a couple of hours available in Hobart, you must see this. A piece of strolling theatre that grips, entertains, horrifies, delights - and you get a modest bit of exercise into the bargain.
Judith is Louisa Regan, an unfortunate Irish lass with hungry sons to feed, who is caught stealing a loaf of bread in London in the early 1800s. Chris, her partner, is the policeman, the judge, the jailer, the ship's captain, the overseer at the female factory in Hobart, the prison doctor, and ultimately, Louisa's husband, as we are transported from Wapping to Van Diemen's Land where Louisa serves her sentence in what must have been the harshest of women's prisons.
Quick and subtle changes of costume, and an interesting script that tells of the horrors of transportation and the inhumanity of the system, yet injects some gentle humour at all the right moments. These are coupled with clever use of the "props" that we pass along the way (a park bench becomes the dock from which Louisa is sentenced to 7 years, a short flight of steps are the ladder to the hold of the prison ship).
Adults will love this because it really brings the convict history to life. Kids will love it because it's a bit interactive and it fires the imagination. There are 2 performances daily. Phone [--] to book.
If you're at all interested in history (or convicts) and haven't the time to visit Port Arthur, do this instead. If you do have time for Port Arthur, do both.
Judith is Louisa Regan, an unfortunate Irish lass with hungry sons to feed, who is caught stealing a loaf of bread in London in the early 1800s. Chris, her partner, is the policeman, the judge, the jailer, the ship's captain, the overseer at the female factory in Hobart, the prison doctor, and ultimately, Louisa's husband, as we are transported from Wapping to Van Diemen's Land where Louisa serves her sentence in what must have been the harshest of women's prisons.
Quick and subtle changes of costume, and an interesting script that tells of the horrors of transportation and the inhumanity of the system, yet injects some gentle humour at all the right moments. These are coupled with clever use of the "props" that we pass along the way (a park bench becomes the dock from which Louisa is sentenced to 7 years, a short flight of steps are the ladder to the hold of the prison ship).
Adults will love this because it really brings the convict history to life. Kids will love it because it's a bit interactive and it fires the imagination. There are 2 performances daily. Phone [--] to book.
If you're at all interested in history (or convicts) and haven't the time to visit Port Arthur, do this instead. If you do have time for Port Arthur, do both.
Written 12 March 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gemswindle
England2 contributions
Louisa's Walk starts at the Cascades brewery in Hobart. 'Louisa' and partner transport you back to the 1840's by a lively strolling theatre which retells the story of a female convicts life in Van diemens land. Its a novel, informative and imaginative way to pass an afternoon in the city and highly recommended. Ring 0362308233 or email livehistory@hotmail.com
Written 17 December 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacqui F
Melbourne, Australia17 contributions
July 2012 • Couples
My husband and I took a walk with Louisa on her journey from England to Van Diemens Land and were totally absorbed in her story as told to us by our two wonderfully professional, entertaining and emotionally inspiring guides (actors). This is a rare opportunity to not only see but also hear about what is an important part of the history of Hobart.
If you love history and theatre, this is NOT to be missed. THANKYOU !!!
If you love history and theatre, this is NOT to be missed. THANKYOU !!!
Written 25 July 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Disha C
5 contributions
Apr 2015 • Solo
I had the pleasure of being probably one of the last few hundred people to go on this walking tour. The era and the story was magnificently executed from the exceptional confines of the cascade park to the heartbreaking structure of the female factory. The couple, Chris and Judith, did a wonderful job of bringing to life the tale of Louisa and how life really was in the female factory. I was very lucky to get talking to Judith and Chris after the tour and they kindly offered to bring me to me to see the play in the Penitentiary chapel called "No mercy" which I will also have a review posted about.
It is one thing to get a historical tour which is purely factual and leaves little to the imagination of the real atrocities that occurred in institutions such as the female factories. History was represented so clearly and with emotion by Louisa's walk.
Finally, I also had the wonderful opportunity to take this tour at the start of Autumn and the sights of the Cascade park and the brewery was simply divine. Nothing is as beautiful as Hobart in Autumn. You simply must catch this tour before it finishes!!!!
It is one thing to get a historical tour which is purely factual and leaves little to the imagination of the real atrocities that occurred in institutions such as the female factories. History was represented so clearly and with emotion by Louisa's walk.
Finally, I also had the wonderful opportunity to take this tour at the start of Autumn and the sights of the Cascade park and the brewery was simply divine. Nothing is as beautiful as Hobart in Autumn. You simply must catch this tour before it finishes!!!!
Written 1 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark T
Sydney, Australia177 contributions
Mar 2015 • Friends
Louisa's walk really brought the history of the female convicts in Tasmania to life. So many men here = needed females. A great contrast to port Arthur's men's settlement. Great actors make you laugh and bring tears to your eyes as they make you empathise with characters from mid 1800s all the way from London to life in Hobart's female factory. This really touched my soul and will stay with me. Louisa's walk is a total asset to the female factory - and to the history of Hobart. Please don't stop your tours Louisa. We booked because you came highly recommended.
Written 16 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Inta D
Brisbane, Australia16 contributions
May 2014 • Friends
If you do nothing else in Hobart, you must take Louisa's walk. And do it before you go to Port Arthur so you have a better understanding of convict life and can compare how it's presented. I was so impressed with the actor's (and the script's) ability to engage all members of the tour group. Given the minimal outlay in the production, I think the ticket price should be cheaper but participants won't be disappointed in the experience.
Written 27 May 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is Louisa's Walk operating on Sat 4 April? If so, where do we start and at what time? We wanted to also visit the Cascade Brewery, any tips?
Written 3 April 2015
Hi,
Yes, we are operating on Sat 4th. We are very close to being fully booked, and the only way you can book is by ringing (03) 62298959 tomorrow morning between 8:30 and 10:15.
The cascade Brewery number is (03) 62241117.
Cheers, Chris.
Written 3 April 2015
Are you closed when I am down there from the end of June to early August.
Written 26 March 2015
Hello Donald,
Thank you for your enquiry. Louisa's Walk is transforming into a new creation! After mid-May, Louisa's Walk is combining with Her Story to become Louisa's Story and will be starting at the Cascades Female Factory at 12 noon each day ( 2 p.m on Saturday). There is no need to book - just arrive at the Female Factory just before 12 to experience Louisa's Story. It will be running, during the winter months.
Warm Regards,
Judith.
Written 26 March 2015
Hi there,
Louisa's Walk is at ten minutes to two(PM) for a two o'clock start.
Cheers, Chris.
Written 18 March 2015
How long will it take me to walk from the City to the Cascade brewery to meet Louisa?
Written 24 February 2015
About 45-50 minutes. We recommend the walk up the Hobart Rivulet. It starts at the souther end of COLLINS STREET. Cross over MOLLE STREET and the walk starts there - you'll see signs. It will take you past the Female factory and up to the Cascade Brewery, where we start.
See you there!
Chris (from Louisa's walk)
Written 24 February 2015
Showing results 1-4 of 4
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing