New spooky school tour for Fremantle Prison

Learning about  Western Australia's convict history just got a bit spookier and more interesting for school children on tour at Fremantle Prison.

The new primary school tour now includes the convict built morgue and two other previously restricted areas, gun-tower no. 6 and the library.

Housing and Works Minister Michelle Roberts today launched the new primary school tour by officially opening the morgue to the public for the first time.                                                                                                                                                   

"The Fremantle Prison tours help teachers bring lessons about our convict past to life," Mrs Roberts said.

"Students can see and touch our convict history while they hear all about how the convicts helped build WA 150 years ago."

The Minister said the new convict history tour also featured stories about famous characters, including Moondyne Joe and the Catalpa escapees.

"Contained in the walls of the Fremantle Prison are hundreds of tales about cunning escape artists, ghastly criminals and rogue convicts who went on to become school teachers," she said.

Fremantle Prison school tours are a valuable resource which support the teaching of WA history in schools.

Teachers can obtain activity sheets and resource notes that complement the program.

Further information about prison tours and student group bookings can be obtained by calling 9336 9210.