Cascades Female Factory

The Cascades Female Factory holds a profound place in Australia’s history as a former convict site primarily for women and children. With the physical site undergoing a significant redevelopment to better showcase its historical importance, a revamped website was essential to reflect these changes and improve accessibility for visitors and researchers globally. The new website needed to be a modern, engaging, and informative portal that captures the essence of the convict era and the stories of the individuals who lived there.

The Cascades Female Factory website reflects the changes to the physical site: it’s a modern, somewhat dark and ultimately engaging reflection of the convict era location and the stories of the women and children who were forced there.

The website showcases the tours, interpretive experiences and events that the site has to offer. More than that, it reflects the style and homage that the location pays to women in history and now who shape the world we live in.

Enhancing visitor experience

The website prominently showcases the variety of tours, interpretive experiences, and events available at the Cascades Female Factory. Each offering is detailed with comprehensive information to assist visitors in planning their visits, including virtual tour options that cater to international visitors or those unable to visit in person. This feature is crucial in extending the site's reach beyond its physical location, making it accessible to a global audience.

In designing the website, it was crucial to create an atmosphere that resonates with the dark and poignant history of the site while maintaining modern usability standards. The website features a somewhat dark aesthetic that serves as a respectful homage to the site's past, making it a deeply engaging experience for users. This design approach helps to set the tone for the stories of resilience and survival that are central to the understanding and appreciation of the site.

Resource for historical research

Recognising the importance of the Cascades Female Factory to descendants and historians, the website includes dedicated sections for family history research. Users can access a wealth of resources and archival materials that aid in genealogical research, making the site a valuable tool for those tracing lineage back to former inmates. This dual functionality of the website—to both educate about and preserve history—is fundamental to its design.

The website incorporates interactive features such as detailed maps of the site, timelines of the factory’s history, and multimedia presentations of archival material. These features are designed to be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, ensuring that the website is compliant with the latest web accessibility standards.

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