From Classroom to Hostage Crisis: The Wooreen School Kidnapping

Old Geelong Gaol in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, is the setting for a rare, edge-of-your-seat evening with Rob Hunter, the teacher who lived through the 1977 Wooreen State School siege. Housed in a 19th-century stone prison, this 90‑minute presentation takes place inside cold cellblocks and the gaol’s exercise yard, where original ironwork and sandstone walls still read like pages of history. Hunter returns to the site where Edwin John Eastwood once escaped custody to tell a firsthand account that balances reportage, regret, and resilience.

He recounts arriving on his ninth day as a teacher, how Eastwood entered the tiny classroom at Wooreen State School, and the tense hours that followed as nine children and their teacher were held at gunpoint. The talk is lucid and frank: it includes moments of fear, unexpected courage, and the long aftermath of trauma and recovery. The program runs about 1.5 hours: a one-hour presentation followed by a Q&A.

Doors open at 6:30pm; a cash bar is available on arrival and books by Rob Hunter are offered for sale after the talk. Tickets are listed at $35 per adult. The venue is wheelchair-accessible and can host up to 100 guests, but this event is not suitable for anyone under 15 due to discussions of execution, murder, sexual assault, and other sensitive material.

Experiencing the story inside the Old Geelong Gaol transforms reporting into presence; the stone corridors amplify the urgency of Hunter’s voice and make history feel immediate. The gaol itself, one of Victoria’s older penal sites with intact sandstone blocks and iron fittings, anchors the city’s colonial-era narrative and provides a stark backdrop that contrasts rural Wooreen’s tiny classroom and the remote South Gippsland landscape where the siege unfolded. For visitors planning a cultural evening in Geelong, this program pairs well with a walk through the gaol museum, a meal in the nearby waterfront precinct, or an afternoon exploring the region’s coastal reserves.

Plan ahead: the talk draws a full house and seating is limited to roughly 100 attendees, so book early through the official listing. Bring a notebook if you want to capture quotes, and wear a light jacket—the stone interior stays cool after sunset. The presentation is an oral history and not a reenactment; expect candid recollection, emotional reflection, and an opportunity to ask questions directly of a witness.

Families should observe the 15-year age minimum. Visitors seeking quieter context can visit the Gaol’s exhibitions earlier in the day to view artifacts and cells before the evening crowd arrives. For bookings, accessibility details, and exact directions, use the event referral link; arrive by public transit or plan parking near Geelong’s CBD waterfront to combine the evening with local dining.