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Are you planning a holiday in Melbourne and interested in finding some of the places where Prisoner was filmed? Our new online guide to Prisoner locations is just what you need!
Bear in mind that much of Melbourne has changed dramatically since the 1980’s, however the following list has been compiled to help you on your way!
With huge thanks to Robert!
INNER CITY:
 The Flinders Street Railway Station was briefly used in the
opening credits sequence of the first three episodes with Karen
Travers walking past. Located at corner of Flinders and Swanston
Streets, MELBOURNE CITY.
The expensive bar were Wayne and Margo went to celebrate her
release is in the Hilton Hotel, 198 Wellington Parade (corner
Clarendon Street) EAST MELBOURNE.
28 Collins Street in MELBOURNE CITY was used for location
shooting in episode #2 where Bea is released, has her hair done,
and calls Val. Bea catches a taxi on the north side of the
street.
INNER NORTH:
Greg Miller's medical clinic (white two-storey terrace house) is
in Spring Street, FITZROY. Near corner of Johnston Street.
The brief sequence where Nick Manning collects Swedish business
contact Arna Johanssen from her hotel was filmed in the entrance
to the Chifley Hotel in Flemington Road, NORTH MELBOURNE.
INNER EAST:
Barnhurst: the building used to represent Barnhurst is located
within a large expanse of parklands by the Yarra River in the
inner-city suburb ABBOTSFORD. To reach the building enter the
Yarra bike/walking track from Clarke Street, Abbotsford and
follow the track a short distance to your left.
The first Driscoll House is on the corner of Yarra and Park
Streets, ABBOTSFORD. The painted backdrop beyond the Driscoll
House set shows a fairly accurate representation of the building
opposite the real Driscoll House building. In other scenes the
same factory building is used for location shooting as the
factory where Barbara Fields employs Doreen and in these scenes
it is clearly supposed to be located somewhere else entirely.
After the factory burns down the Driscoll house painted backdrop
remains unblemished.
When the Wentworth girls put on a concert at Woodridge, and
later when they are transferred there after the fire, Woodridge
exteriors were taped at the Willsmere Hospital, in Princess
Street, KEW.
INNER SOUTH EAST:
Meg and Dennis' flat is at 50 Marne Street, SOUTH YARRA.
Susie Driscoll goes to Chasers nightclub on Chapel Street,
PRAHRAN. The nightclub has now been renamed ZOS.
The Prahran Courthouse is on Greville Street, PRAHRAN, on the
corner of Macquarie Street. This is one of the few locations
where the interior of the building was used as well as the
exterior.
The Prahran Courthouse was used in the following sequences:
- Pat O'Connell's trial and her subsequent appeal, with Greg
Miller as a witness
- trial of Toni MacNally. Macquarie Street was where Roslyn
Coulsen shoots Toni.
- trial of Caroline Simpson and Vivienne Williams, with Lizzie
and Doreen as witnesses
- early trials of Doreen and Lizzie after stealing liquor
- the trials of Sharon Gilmour and Tony Reid, with Judy Bryant
and Paul Reid in attendance
- Geoff Butler's trial for his attack on Meg, with Jim Fletcher
and Meg as witnesses. Michael Simpson and Geoff butler met up in
Macquarie Street after the trial
- Mum and Bea's trial during the amnesia plotline. Mum and Bea
say their final goodbyes in Macquarie Street
- was also the scene of Michelle Parkes' trial. She thanks
Amelia in Macquarie street.
- the front of the building (Greville Street frontage) was used
to represent the police station when Meg bailed Nick Clarke out.
In episode 339 Judy's court scenes were taped at the Prahran
Town Hall/Library at the corner of Chapel and Greville Streets,
Prahran. Erica and Judy leave the building and turn and walk
down Greville Street - right past the adjacent court building
regularly used for courtroon scenes during the show's first few
years.
INNER SOUTH:
 In episode 340, when Erica and Judy meet for Jude's parole
hearing, they meet out the front of 370 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
(near Albert Road intersection). During the 100s -particularly
during Meg's stint as a welfare and parole officer- this same
building represented the Department offices.
The scenes of the failed payroll grab with Margo, Wayne and
Bazza were filmed in PORT MELBOURNE. The little street where the
trio of bandits wait in the car is Pool Street which runs off
Bay Street (the main street that the bank faces towards) and the
little street that they turn into and where the actual attack
takes place is Lalor Street.
Holly's Haberdashery, the shop that was the scene of the police
siege after Margo, Wayne and Bazza's bungled payroll grab is in
Bridge Street, PORT MELBOURNE. The building is close to the
corner of Ross Street, the street that Margo turns out of just
before losing control of the car and almost crashing into the
veranda of Holly's Haberdashery.
When Tracey Morris had her trial, the South Melbourne Town Hall
in Banks Street SOUTH MELBOURNE (opposite Perrins Street
intersection and near Clarendon Street) was used to represent
the court-house. The exterior and streetscape were used, but not
the interior of the building. After the trial Tracey was
kidnapped and driven around PORT MELBOURNE a bit. It looks a bit
like Station and Evans Streets---the streets that run either
side of the old railway line. Finally there is a shoot-out at
the Graham Street overpass in PORT MELBOURNE.
INNER WEST:
 The building that represented Blackmoor Prison is the old
Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works pumping station which is
on Douglas Parade (corner Craig Street), SPOTSWOOD. This
building was also seen in the film "Mad Max" (1979) as the Halls
of Justice building.
The building is now part of the Scienceworks Museum and is open
to the public.
phone (03) 9392 4800
http://scienceworks.museum.vic.gov.au/
OUTER EAST:
A brief sequence featuring a released Lynn Warner back in the
country town where her parents live was shot on the
Belgrave-Gembrooke Road, CLEMATIS (close to Wellington Road
intersection.)
Nearby township of EMERALD was where Doreen and Kevin went on an
early lunch date when she accompanied him on a delivery. (A shop
sign "Emerald Bakery" was briefly glimpsed in one scene, though
it was difficult to make out exactly where they were as they sat
in the truck the whole scene.)
 The former Channel Ten studios are located at the corner of
Springvale and Hawthorn roads in NUNAWADING.
Forrest Hill shopping centre in Mahoneys Road, Forrest Hill was
used several times, however the buildings have all been
drastically modified since then (famous picture of Lizzie at the
bus stop was taken along here.)
Joan Ferguson's house: 27 Howard Street, Box Hill
Box Hill brickworks in Surrey Drive, Box Hill. This is very
close to Howard Street (Joan's house.)
"Winlaton" is on Springvale Road, Blackburn, just south of the
Springvale Road-Maroondah Highway intersection. This institution
mentioned in dialogue.
Box Hill Hospital is on Thames Street, Box Hill. Hospital and
the park opposite was used several times in the series.
At the intersection of Springvale Road and Burwood Highway is
the Burvale Hotel complex. This is where, at one of the bars,
Nick Clarke gets drunk and angrily smashes the window shortly
after Meg rejects his advances at the end of episode 207. Much
later, in episodes 344 and 345, Colleen stays in one of the
motel rooms after leaving her husband, and Judy's daughter Lori
is staying there having abandoned her newborn son at Driscoll
House.
Later Lori, Geoff and Judy visit the Princess Elizabeth School
for the Deaf.
Laburnum Railway station was used in the series when Paul Reid
meets his son Tony at the station after the latter travels home
after his release from prison.
The Pizza Hut on stilts where Mum and her daughter Lorraine
Watkins (Anne Charleston) say their goodbyes in episode 2 and
where the officers (Vera, Jim, Meg and Colleen) have lunch after
completing training at the firing range in the 160s is in
Ferntree Gully on Burwood Highway.
During their marital difficulties around episode 347, Colleen
and Patrick Powell have lunch at the Wheelers Hill Hotel.
When rape victim Lindy returns to the hotel where she was
attacked to act as bait to catch her attacker Tony, it is the
Mountain View Hotel. Tony is later caught in the carpark.
Reb Kean's *very last* scene, where she is seen leaving the cafe
and crossing the road, was taped at Blackburn Road SYNDAL in the
outer eastern suburbs. The bridge you see in the background
leads straight into Syndal Station on the Glen Waverley line,
near the intersection of Blackburn and High Street roads. The
cafe was also probably located here.
NORTHERN SUBURBS:
The never shown but frequently mentioned Pentridge Prison is on
Champ Street, COBURG.
SYDNEY:
When Bea worked for the rich socialite it looked like
WATSON'S BAY was the filming location.
Doreen's flat was in KIRRIBILLI. In an attempt to shake off the
policewoman following her, Doreen goes to the National Theatre
in Sydney.
Later scenes of Bobbie Mitchell working as a prostitute were
filmed in KING'S CROSS.
WE RECCOMMEND:
Australia is a wonderful place. Prisoner and Neighbours are set in suburbs in the Melbourne area, which was the place that the OTI team visited in July 2004.
You can spend days in the city centre itself and still not see everything. There are many sight-seeing trips advertised throughout the main streets of the city and there's a very helpful tourist information centre just opposite Flinders Street Station (in what looks like a very futuristic building!).
If you're a big fan of Neighbours you must do the Ramsay Street Tour. There's a chance to take photographs with the stars, visit the real street where they film the outside scenes, drive past Erinsborough High School and the Global TV Studios - look out for Wentworth which is clearly visable!.
Please note: Only the select few are lucky enough to be authorised to visit the actual studios where Neighbours is filmed. We guarantee you that the original Wentworth building is still there in all it's glory, complete with most of the barred iron windows. All of the original Prisoner sets have long been destroyed however, but if you know where to look you might just stumble across the odd prop (or backdrop!). Unfortunately due to legal reasons we are not allowed to show any photos from inside the Global TV centre.
The Melbourne Museum also has one of the original Neighbours sets - from the Scully house, as part of it's look back at Australian TV history.
Plus, for a chance of meeting Neigbours and Prisoner stars, the Neighbours Night is a must. We reccommend that you book the Ramsay Street Tour, Melbourne Museum and Neighbours Night at www.neighbourstour.com.au or one of the many tourist/student travel centres which are everywhere!
Or if you're really lucky like we were, you might just run into some of your favourite stars while out shopping in Melbourne - we just happened to meet Lesley Baker who played Monica Ferguson and Tinkerbell in Prisoner, and later went on to become Angie Rebecci in Neighbours!
Here are some of our snaps - feel free to send us yours!
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