Running through the heart of the RMIT city campus, Bowen Street is home to one of Melbourne’s biggest universities as well as the old Melbourne Gaol. Formerly the site of the Working Mens College, now known as RMIT, Bowen Street has a rich educational history dating back to the earliest days of Melbourne.
Located on the eastern side of Bowen Street, the Old Melbourne Gaol was opened in 1839 and was gradually absorbed into the Working Mens College between 1887 and 1924, with parts of the Old Gaol surviving as a museum. In 1933 the Working Mens College was rebranded into RMIT as we know it today. The Melbourne Gaol officially closed in 1924, and apart from temporarily becoming a military prison during the Second World War, the Gaol has served as a museum ever since.
Today Bowen Street is famous for its regular RMIT University events, such as the official RMIT graduation ceremony and O-Week celebrations. Bowen Street is the beating heart of Melbourne’s university scene and is frequented by nearly 100,000 students every year.
