When you are just hopping over to Tassie for a short weekend trip, It’s really frustrating to spend half your time wondering what to do. This is probably why many people book Louisa’s Walk well ahead, having found us on the internet. Was there life before the web? Despite it being the depths of winter, though let’s be honest, a very mild one this year – we are still pleasingly busy. So long as you wrap up well, you will survive the chill and the sometimes, bleak conditions help you to relate more to the convict women of long ago.
Today we met a lady who had been tracing her family history. She had visited her childhood home in Blackmans Bay and, when I met her, was on her way to the Cornelian Bay Cemetery where some of her ancestors are buried. She was so disappointed not to have the time to experience Louisa’s Walk but took a brochure and will visit us when she returns next year.
We often recommend that visitors to our lovely city have lunch at the Cascade Visitors Centre just over the road from where Louisa’s Walk commences. The Centre is in fact, the old home of Peter Degraves the man who started the Brewery and is set in three acres of heritage gardens. Paul and his friendly staff will look after you with delicious foods and, of course, Cascade beers or soft drinks! Thus, relaxed and lubricated you can walk over to start Louisa’s Walk at 1.50 p.m.
But how else to fill the morning and evening? Some suggestions for a day’s activities would be: on a Saturday of course, visit the famous Salamanca Market, up for lunch at the Visitor Centre and over to us. Other days: a trip up the mountain on a clear day is awesome, a Brewery Tour, a visit out to Bonorong Wildlife Park, a drive to Richmond, check out the Penitentiary in Campbell Street, make time to wander around the delightful village – suburb of Battery Point, especially in spring when the gardens are blooming. Talking of gardens, don’t forget the finest Botanical Gardens in Australia almost in the heart of the city – the gardens have a good restaurant too, it’s just a ten minute drive across the city to get to the top of the Cascades and your 2 p.m Louisa’s Walk show. For a good pub lunch ( and a place where we often get together with friends or family) nothing beats Knopwoods, affectionately known as “Knoppies” in Salamanca Place. The food and the prices are hard to beat and there is usually a log fire crackling away even in summer – bliss! So if you happen to be in Knoppies one lunchtime and you see a woman emerge from the ladies clad in period costume it’s just me ready to go off to perform a Louisa’s Walk!
The Hobart Rivulet Walk is a highly recommended acitivity after our Show, it only runs a couple of times a week but is well worth it. You tour under the city following the tunnels of the Hobart Rivulet which also makes an appearance in Louisa’s Walk. An evening cruise on one of our harbour ferries is always lovely and don’t forget the oldest working theatre in Australia, the Theatre Royal, for one of their evening shows. You can also visit the Theatre Royal during the day for a guided tour.
These are just a few of the suggestions for things to do in Hobart. For more ideas, visit the Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre on the corner of Davey and Elizabeth Street. The experienced staff there can help you put a day’s itinerary together, matching your tastes and interests to what we have to offer in our compact, little city. Have fun!

Chris and I have recently returned from a short winter break in Alice Springs, where we were house sitting for friends. These lovely people are circus performers, they run a business called “Circosis” and had just finished a performance of their new show “A Circus Affair” at the Araluen Arts Centre in Alice. They were off outback for a month to teach circus skills to the kids on the indigenous communities. It was whilst they were out at Utopia that we had arranged to go and house sit.
We had a lovely, three-day cross-over period with them before they set off and were able to meet some of their Alice Spring friends too. Many of them were also in the entertainment business and it’s interesting to share stories of performances and shows. Their house and caravan contained some amusing circus related props like those very long shoes that clowns wear, or a row of prams complete with frilly borders (presumably to wheel small poodles around in, or am I being too stereotypical?) Wigs and costumes – hmm yes, that reminded us of our house. Chris built us a new cupboard to house some of our costumes just before we left.
Once they had left for Utopia we really hit the road and started to explore the region – they kindly loaned us their car as they had a troopy to travel outback. We did all the usual touristy things like Uluru, Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta and were awe inspired by them. Closer to home was the magnificent McDonnell Ranges where we spent a magic day exploring all the chasms, gorges and water holes.
On our return from Uluru, we were just in time for the third day of the Beanie Festival – we loved it! What a novel idea of bringing a community together and, indeed, a country as there were entries from all over Oz. The gallery with all the really artistic beanies was amazing. Wow, some of those creations were works of art. But our favourite, was Beanie Central – three young guys were sitting just in the doorway knitting and crocheting. It was a gold coin donation to enter, great lunch of dhal or pumpkin soup and just such a buzz! Beanies, hung on pegs and racks, everywhere. I bought a Barrow Boy’s Cap which has become a firm fixture on my head since my return to Tasmania (except when I’m performing Louisa when my mob-cap replaces it!) It was interesting to see Christina Henri’s convict women cap kits for sale up there and gave us an opportunity to talk with people about the Cascades Female Factory and Louisa’s Walk. Another interesting place to visit was the National Pioneer Women’s Centre, housed in the old town gaol (see my review on TripAdvisor)
Home again on July 1st and, in common with all good holidays, it had gone all too quickly. Memories include so many things and certainly seeing the full moon rise over Uluru was iconic but – I think my favourite place was the Olive Pink Botanical Gardens. I am now deep into a book about this fascinating woman and her conflicts with fellow anthropologist Ted Strehlow. Chris and I are inspired to return (especially if we can procure some funding) with one of our Live History! plays written by Chris. Olive Pink, Ted Strehlow and the story of his wife’s amazing rescue by the indigenous peoples when she was near death in the bush. There are stories to be told!
Back at work now, much food for thought. Louisa is strutting her stuff in the cold of a Tasmanian winter which has, fortunately this year, been very mild. This is the first winter we have been available throughout July for some time and we are busy! Visits to other places in Australia and meeting their historic characters and stories tells us we have a wonderful story. We continue to tell Louisa’s story with passion.

It’s a fact that Winter is chilly down here in Hobart – let’s call a spade a spade! Today, we saw the first sprinkling of snow on our majestic Mount Wellington. Strictly speaking we still have a week or so of Autumn to go but Winter is definitely beckoning around the corner.

However, visitors from Queensland and other warmer states love the cooler climate, what’s that they say about a change being as good as a holiday? So now, on Louisa’s Walk we are well rugged up – I haven’t quite broken out the thermals (I ‘ve got to have somewhere to go for when the temperatures really plummet!) but scarves and gloves were on today. We had an unusual day: we had a call this morning from a family who had seen an old brochure at their accommodation which still advertised us as doing a 10.30 performance in the morning. Well, we stopped morning performances well over a year ago! However, as this delightful family numbered six, we were more than happy to put on a special show just for them (happy birthday Caroline again!) and this enabled Nick to catch his afternoon plane. The beauty of winter when we are much slower is we can be a lot more flexible with our times and we are happy to put on a special “Command Performance” for 4 or more at any time of the day. We also had visitors booked on our regular 2 p.m. Show, so it was a busy day.

Last year we took off to lovely Port Macquarie for five weeks during July. This year we are allowing ourselves two weeks in Alice Springs staying with our circus performer friends, Cookie and Sarah from Circosis. We leave on June 16th and return on July 1st so, if you are hoping to come on Louisa’s Walk during that time – our apologies but we need a holiday too! This means that we will be open for most of the Winter months, sharing the experience with those long-ago convict women, of the bitter cold and damp of the South Hobart valley known as the Cascades.

I am very ambivalent about Autumn. Part of me loves the swirling storms of red and yellow leaves, crunching through kaleidoscope carpets, the almost mesmeric colours in trees or underfoot. Then, part of me laments winter’s onslaught just around the corner – I am not a winter person.

The Cascade Gardens, where we begin Louisa’s journey, is breathtakingly beautiful clothed in all its Autumn colours and nestled beneath the mountain. Cameras are nearly always brought out to recall Louisa’s story but also to get some really good photo-opportunities, especially as the group returns on the homeward journey with the famous Brewery building providing the backdrop to it all. I find myself thinking in Autumn cliches to describe the colours and the twirling of the leaves. As we gather around one of the picnic tables to toast the memory of the women, children and babies we are rained on by leaves and it is a magical, almost mystical experience. I want to run through the leaf drifts like a child and throw them up into the air.

Louisa’s Walk is often described as “original”, “unique” “different” and it is certainly not for those seeking your average, commercial experience. Louisa’s Walk is personal and even quirky (I love that word!). The quirkiness was evident today; as we begin we often coincide with one of the brewery workers knocking off his shift. As he strolls through the gardens on his way home, he plays a tin whistle (many of our audience assume he is part of our show!) but no, he is just one of the delightful, slightly eccentric South Hobartians who live in this quirky part of Hobart. The “whistler” appeared today and cast his Hamlyn spell, then at the top of Degraves Street the mushrooms are out! These appear just once-a-year and they are more correctly called “toadstools” but they are the kind where you honestly expect a pixie to appear. All red and white and spotted! Then there is “the leprechaun” which Louisa so delightedly spots on the way to the Female Factory and the brown trout which obligingly appears in the Hobart Rivulet almost on cue every day.

We did an early show today for Forest Primary School, so early that the Female Factory was not open and we had to use our special key! Then another show this afternoon at our usual time. But tomorrow – I am flying to Adelaide for my daughter’s graduation ceremony so, any one who wants to experience Louisa’s Walk will be disappointed. Back on Friday!

Louisa’s Walk starts outside the Cascade Brewery in South Hobart. Louisa waits for the audience members to arrive on the corner underneath the lamp-post. Chris alias Matt, William and sundry other characters can also be seen at this time of year scurrying around underneath the sweet chestnut trees picking up brown,gleaming treasures! Yes, all you Europeans, it is chestnut time!

Sweet chestnut trees are planted outside breweries according to German tradition for two reasons; one is so that their roots can reach down into the cellars and drain away any moisture. The other (and I like this one better) is so that the leaves of the spreading trees can provide welcome shade on a hot, summer’s afternoon, whilst sipping a beer.

Yesterday we had some Australian/Italians on Louisa’s Walk and “Fee” as I learnt to call her was telling me about the sweet chestnuts that are served with the first of the home made wines in Italy. I was able to reminisce with equal nostalgia, recalling a time some five years ago (just before starting Louisa’s Walk) when Chris and I worked on a remote Greek island called Ikaria. Just before we left in early October the first of the new wine was being brought out at the local tavernas and with it, little bowls of roast chestnuts.

Now, we have a new activity whilst waiting for Louisa’s Walk audience members to arrive. We show people how to identify the most likely spiky,cases and how to roll them with your feet so that a shiny brown chestnut rolls out. Those who are staying in self catering accommodation can take their bounty back to roast over a stove hot plate. Everyone else? They are kind enough to donate their booty to us so that we can bring them home to roast over our slow combustion stove that cooks our food, heats our water and warms our home. We do rather live the life of Louisa and William!

So now on my return from Louisa’s Walk in the late afternoon, I head for the computer to sip a glass of wine, a bowl of roasted chestnuts in one hand, to see how many of you have made a booking enquiry via our web site! It’s a good combination.

One of our most frequently asked questions on Louisa’s Walk is, “Did Louisa ever see her three boys again?”. We answer that we honestly don’t know. Another favourite question is, “Did she and William ever have any more children?” and again, we don’t know. One of the major reasons for this is that records of the female convicts were meticulously kept whilst the women were in the Female Factories. Once they were emancipated however, (i.e. they were free and no longer on ticket – of – leave or, as we would say today, “on probation”) records all but became non-existent. If names had kept the same spelling, it may be possible to trace their death notice but that is about all. So, we like to counter these questions with a, “This is a make your own ending story”.
Louisa’s three boys were left behind to fend for themselves on the streets of London after her arrest. This was fairly common as Van Diemens Land wanted women, they had more than enough males, had they been daughters, it might have been a different story. It is fairly likely they had to turn to a life of crime in order to survive. Given this, it may be that they ended up being transported themselves but the likelihood of their finding Louisa would have been slim. These were not days of Missing Persons Bureaus, the internet or telephones. Also, Louisa’s chances of returning to England to find them (where she would have faced impossible odds given the lack of technology) were slim. Emancipated convicts had to re-pay the government the sum of fifteen guineas for the privilege of being shipped out here! This was an enormous sum and to find that, plus a fare back home, beyond the means of most. So, our story remains an open ended one and our audience members free to exercise their imaginations!
Just recently we took a delightful family out on Louisa’s Walk.The Taylor Family are travelling around Australia in a caravan, they have been on the road for ten months. During this time the three little Taylor girls: Amee, Hannah and Jordan, are being home-schooled by their parents. In common with most children the two older girls (eight and six) loved Louisa’s Walk. At just four, Jordan was a little young but she still took in a lot of the story. The girls were delightful as they flitted among the group in their identical dresses. They reminded me of bright butterflies! Afterwards, their mother, Nadia said they would send us a thank you card. This duly arrived together with some wonderful drawings from Hannah. But Amee had let her imagination fly and below is her ending to Louisa’s Story.

Diary of Louisa Reagan.
November 1845.
The day my master came for me, was a really great day. Right away I could see how handsome and kind he was, I could not believe that he had chosen me and I picked up his handkerchief. He took me to his house where I was to work.

December 1845.
Another hot Christmas, I wish that it would snow like it does in Ireland. It is good to have a day off from all the work but I am worried about all the work I have to catch up on. William is a very kind master to give me a day off. This morning when I woke I got dressed in my normal work clothes but when I came into the kitchen, William held me by the hand and told me to put my good clothes on. William asked me to marry him and I said yes.

March 1846.
William went off to work this morning. I asked the doctor to come because I was worried about my tummy and he checked it out. I am happy to say that I am having a baby. We will be celebrating tonight.

September 1846.
My stomach is so big and sore. I worry that my baby will not survive. The doctor came late in the afternoon and helped me with our baby. A beautiful baby girl she was so beautiful and healthy. We named her Alice. It was sad to think of the baby I had lost and of the children I had left behind in England.

December 1849.

Time has gone so fast, Alice is now three. Mostly I am happy but think of my boys, are they still alive? During our Christmas lunch there was a knock at the door. Alice went to open the door. She did not know the three men standing there. I went to the door and they asked if I was Louisa, yes I am I cried. We are your boys they said as they hugged me. My boys are so big now and have done so well to have paid to get to Van Diemens Land. With tears in my eyes I took them inside and together with Alice and William we ate our Christmas lunch and had a brilliant Christmas. I could not be any happier.

The End – written by Amee Taylor 8 years old.

I haven’t heard an official temperature for Hobart today. It was forecast to be 35 degrees. We are not long back from performing Louisa’s Walk and it hasn’t cooled down much. Judging from the way I felt in the Crime Yard it was at least 40 degrees in there but hey – we survived. Our audience were all armed with big shady umbrellas but, as with the rain, we can’t perform under umbrellas (it’s hard to “emote” when your hands are otherwise engaged – even without Italian lineage). So, no shelter for us.

We were a small group of four (four others had sensibly cancelled because of the extreme heat). However, this audience was composed of an American from California, a German girl (surely not used to the heat but young enough to be undeterred by it) and a couple from Perth who didn’t find it particularly hot! I must admit that I wasn’t sure if I was going to be sick or pass out but I saved the drama for Louisa’s story and spared everybody either option. Chris who seems to be much more stoic about extremes of temperature, took it all in his stride and wondered what I was fussing about – men!

However, once again Louisa’s Walk worked its magic and our audience were transported from the 21st Century to the 19th. Laughter and tears along the way is part of the course.

There’s a big notice up at The Cascades Female Factory saying they are closed over Christmas and New Year. Louisa’s Walk is open all over the New Year and we have access to the Yard so, if you are looking for something special to do in Hobart over the New Year period give us a ring and make a booking to hear Louisa’s story. You won’t be disappointed.

There would be few tourists to Tasmania who miss visiting Port Arthur, yet many still don’t even know of the existence of the Female Factories. Port Arthur is indeed a must see, not only is the site itself beautiful but the infrastructure that still exists, fascinating and well preserved. The site too is well interpreted and, at this time of year, they too present plays which help to bring the male convict history to life.
However, significant as Port Arthur is, there were more women imprisoned in the Cascades Female Factory (at any one time) than there were ever men (at any one time) at Port Arthur. At its peak in the early 1850’s, there were between nine hundred and a thousand women incarcerated in the Cascades Female Factory, compared to around eight hundred men at Port Arthur. Why is it then that Port Arthur has a much higher profile than our Female Factories? Perhaps a blog post is not the place to debate such a complex question! However, if anyone reading this wants to contribute please, go ahead.

There were four Female Factories in Van Diemens Land: George Town, Launceston, Ross and The Cascades. There is virtually nothing left at George Town. What is left at Launceston has been swallowed up by the Launceston College; in its foyer you can see the old well where the women would haul water from the Cataract Gorge to provide water for the Factory. There is also the remains of one of the surrounding walls within the college complex. The Factory at Ross is one of my favourite sites, evoking as it does the desolation of the Midlands. A walk up to the old cemetery is well worth it and, if you are like me and enjoy reading old headstones, makes a fascinating hour or so. Which brings us to the Cascades Female Factory with its three remaining Yards available for public inspection, Matron’s cottage and high stone walls. The site has been nominated for World Heritage status and has received quite a face lift as a result. Building works are still in progress which necessitates Louisa’s Walk audiences gaining access to Yard One (where our story is enacted) through Yard Three at the side. Gabion walls have been really effective in representing the original ones. The steel structure in Yard One has proved a brilliant solution to the bowing out of the stone walls, providing as it does, not only a bracing but a representation of the size of the buildings within the walls.

Many people ask us why they were called Female Factories? We are not able to offer a definitive answer. We feel it reflects a certain euphemistic tendency (in the 19th century) to clothe anything to do with women in a veil of propriety. It was also, genuinely, a place where the women worked and produced goods, surely the definition of “factory”?

Whatever your thoughts, be sure not to miss Louisa’s Walk, a graphic and memorable way of bringing Tasmania’s female convict history to life.

There was a cruise ship in Hobart today. We already had four booked on Louisa’s Walk this morning but by the time I came back from church Chris had booked on another eight! Part of the reason for this big jump in numbers ( at a time when most of the town is quite quiet) was apparent as we drove down the Southern Outlet to see a cruise ship moored at the wharf. Normally cruise ships don’t affect our business that much. Those who have bothered to do some research, and find out for themselves, what excellent things there are to do in Hobart via the internet, may have discovered and booked us before they arrive but, generally, cruise ship passengers are whisked off, on coaches, to other surrounding Hobart destinations.

As we set off, there was a gentle drizzle, I handed out umbrellas but some of our audience were clothed in floor length ponchos (or “slickers’ as one of our American guests dubbed them) what a good idea! Maybe we should stock up on some for Louisa’s Walk? However, the rain was very kind and before too long it had slowed to almost nothing. We decided we would take the audience up to what we call “the top deck” which is where we imagine we are on the top deck of the ship “The Rajah”. The park, at this point, is shaped very like a boat and it enables us to descend down some steps into the stinking “orlop deck”. ” Louisa’s Walk” is all about using our imaginations and, utilising these natural features of the environment, is what we do! However, the top deck is a bit tricky when everyone is holding umbrellas!

Bill, one of our cruise ship Americans wouldn’t play ball with me when I asked him for sympathy so I turned to Seamus (yes, a genuine Irishman) who was much more sympathetic. Interaction with audience members is very much part of what we do on “Louisa’s Walk” and it means that we, as actors, have to be prepared with whatever our audience members throw at us and adjust our responses accordingly! Seamus and partner, Lucia, came in very handy later when I asked them to identify the shamrock, “Some people call it a clover and I have to smack them around a bit!” This audience was fantastic! They were mesmerised from start to finish. The utter silence in the nursery yard as I told of the fate of Eliza, the smattering of applause as I finished ” Abide With Me”, these are things that we feed off. Yes, we need to earn a living but it’s the approbation of our audiences that are our real meat-and-drink!

It was too wet; the rain came over again as I had sent the audience back into “the nineteenth-century”, to bring out “Louisa’s Larder” jams and chutneys and the Guest Book. We had to disperse quickly and get everyone back into the warm and the dry. However, it was music to our ears to hear that, once more, we had taken our audience back in time; “We were really there” you said. “I will remember this for a long time to come” you said. “We heard about you through a friend – he said it was a must- do” you said.

The muse that is ” Louisa’s Walk” is alive and well. She is unique. She is original. She is memorable. If you are looking for something different, “Louisa’s Walk” is for you.

It is a cliche to say that the world is a small place but last Monday’s Louisa’s Walk proved it to be true (yet again). We had just finished Louisa’s Walk and, as usual were enjoying getting to know one another, out of character, at the top of the beautiful Cascade Gardens. Most of our visitors were from Hong Kong with a couple of Australians and an Englishman. Being English ourselves, we like to discover whereabouts in England people come from. “Oxford” was the reply. “That’s my home town” I said. Right, down to the nitty gritty of exactly where – “Well not Oxford itself but a little village between Oxford and Banbury.”
“Keep going” came the reply.
“North Aston” I said.
“Me too” said our Englishman!
North Aston is a tiny little village which is part of a group of “Astons”: “Middle” , “Steeple” and “North”. it is delightfully feudal and much of its housing is still owned by the equivalent of the Lord of the Manor. My Father was the Vicar there for a number of years in the 1960’s. Despite moving away in the mid-seventies, my family is still very attached to the place, so much so that my Father has a memorial attached to the lytch gate (built by my brother John) and my mother’s ashes were interred there.
Our visitor’s name was Phil and his parents still live in North Aston (they had moved there some time after I had moved away). We bandied around names that we both knew and I caught up with quite a bit of local goss!!
It astounded me that someone who is now based in Hong Kong who had moved away from England over twenty years ago should come from this same tiny village which holds such a place in my heart. We meet such interesting people on Louisa’s Walk!