Hobart Female Factory

From ABC News:

A major new artwork has been commissioned to honour convict women at the Hobart Female Factory.

Shirley McCarron from the Female Factory Historic Site says $160,000 is needed for the sculpture, which is the first of three pieces planned for the former prison.

Ms McCarron says the artwork will stand in the grounds of the Female Factory, in South Hobart, representing the spirit of convict women.

"[It will be a] larger-than-life-sized bronze scultpture of a convict woman with a child clinging to her skirts, and she's standing at a glass door that represents her leaving her normal life and going into the life of a convict."

The second artwork will depict women arriving on Hobart's waterfront, and the third will comprise a series of plaques featuring convict women's names, to be placed throughout the city.

Ms McCarron says there is growing acceptance of convict heritage.

"There's been very little written about the women and not a great deal of interest, and indeed many families didn't want to acknowledge that they had a woman convict.

"That's changed dramatically, and people are very interested and wanting to research their history," she said.

The Female Factory Historic Site Foundation anticipates the first sculpture will be installed late next year.