Parramatta Female Factory Friends

Amazing stories. Extraordinary lives. Experience history. Never forget.

The Parramatta Female Factory Friends are a community heritage organisation dedicated to preserving, protecting and sharing the nationally significant history of the Parramatta Female Factory — the earliest surviving convict women’s site in Australia.

Located at 5 Fleet Street, North Parramatta, within the historic 1821 Greenway-designed Matron’s Quarters and Administration Building, the Friends bring together descendants, researchers, visitors, volunteers and advocates who are passionate about recognising the women and children connected with this remarkable place.

We are strong advocates for the protection of the National Heritage Listed Parramatta Female Factory site and its wider historic precinct. We continue to support the long-term goal of World Heritage recognition, proper conservation, public access, education, research and respectful interpretation of this nationally important women’s, convict, institutional and social justice site.

What We Do

Through our events, tours, talks, exhibitions, workshops and speaker programs, we help bring the stories of the Parramatta Female Factory women to life.

Our programs explore colonial history, transportation, female convicts, women’s labour, motherhood, punishment, resistance, institutional care, social reform, architecture, archaeology, genealogy and the continuing cultural, political, environmental and social significance of the site.

We also support the ongoing development of the Parramatta Female Factory Friends Research Centre and the Babette Smith Collection, where descendants, researchers and members of the public can access records, resources and information connected to the women, children and institutions of the Factory and its later history.

Events, Tours and Programs

The Parramatta Female Factory Friends use Eventbrite to manage bookings for selected tours, talks, workshops and major events throughout the year.

Our calendar includes:

Guided Walking Tours

Explore the historic Parramatta Female Factory site with trained guides who share the stories of the women who lived, worked, laboured, gave birth, resisted and survived here between 1821 and 1848.

Speaker Program

Our bimonthly speaker program features historians, researchers, authors, heritage specialists, descendants and community voices speaking on topics connected to the Female Factory, the wider Female Factory system, colonial history, women’s history and social justice.

Special Events

Throughout the year we host special heritage events, including our signature annual event, “It’s a Riot” Day, held each October to commemorate the first recorded women’s riot at the Parramatta Female Factory in 1827.

Workshops

Our workshops offer practical and engaging opportunities to learn more about genealogy, convict research, heritage, craft, storytelling, interpretation and the lived experiences of women connected with the Factory.

Exhibitions and Open Days

During selected events, visitors can view our permanent exhibition, special collections, historical displays, models, artefacts and research materials housed in our rooms at the Parramatta Female Factory.

Research Centre and Descendant Connections

The Research Centre supports those seeking to better understand their Female Factory ancestors, female convict history, institutional history and the wider stories of women and children connected to the site.

Why Attend?

Every event supports the work of the Parramatta Female Factory Friends. A not-for-profit charity.

By joining a tour, attending a talk, participating in a workshop or coming to a special event, you help preserve the memory of the women and children of the Parramatta Female Factory and strengthen the call for this nationally significant site to be protected, respected and recognised.

Whether you are a descendant, researcher, student, teacher, visitor, heritage advocate or simply curious about Australia’s past, you are warmly invited to be part of our community.

Follow us on Eventbrite to receive updates about upcoming tours, talks, workshops and special events.

For further information, please visit the Parramatta Female Factory Friends website or follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @pfffriends.