On The Inside

Prisoner Locations

Greetings from down under!

Are you planning a holiday in Melbourne and interested in finding some of the places where Prisoner was filmed? Our 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!

Flinders Street Station, MelbourneINNER 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.

Willsmere Apartments (Woodridge!)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 (now apartments).

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.

Prahran CourthouseThe 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.

Scienceworks - AKA Blackmoor!
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.)

WENTWORTH!!!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. The 'Winlaton Youth Training Centre' mentioned in the series has long been replaced by the Candlebark housing estate.

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 was in Ferntree Gully on Burwood Highway. The same building no longer exists however there is a Pizza Hut in the area which may have been rebuilt as an alternative.

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.

Pentridge Prison NORTHERN SUBURBS:

The never shown but frequently mentioned Pentridge Prison is on Champ Street, COBURG. Some parts of the prison still exist including the facade and guard towers, but most of the site has been turned into housing estates, parklands and a business precinct.

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 SUGGEST:

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!).

It really does exist!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 (AND Scott and Charlene's wedding cake!).

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!

We would love to see some of your own photos on this page - please email us if you would like to contribute.


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Thank you to Robert

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In memory of Sheila Florance and Gerda Nicolson