Prisons (PDF)

List of prisons in Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of operational and former Australian prisons for adult males and females and youth detention
centres for juveniles. Prisons listed as "museum" are former prisons that are now open for public inspection and
tours.
Throughout the European history of Australia, particularly since its formation as a penal colony, Australia has had
many establishments for rehabilitation and incarceration. Altogether, there have been more than 180+ rehabilitation
centres, youth correctional centres and prisons in Australia.

Contents
1 Australian Capital Territory
2 New South Wales
3 Northern Territory
4 Queensland
5 South Australia
6 Tasmania
7 Victoria
8 Western Australia
9 Other
10 See also
11 References

Australian Capital Territory
A new prison was opened on 11 September 2008 at Symonston, called the
Alexander Maconochie Centre, named after Alexander Maconochie. The
centre is designed as a multi role facility to replace the Belconnen Remand
Centre and provide detention facilities so that prisoners who are currently
held in New South Wales facilities may be held locally.

Belconnen Remand Centre

Prisons in the Australian Capital Territory
Prison

Status

Classification

Managed

Opened

Closed Capacity

Location

Alexander
Maconochie
Centre[1]

Operational

Minimum to
maximum

ACT Corrective
Services

11
September
2008

No

Belconnen
Remand Centre

Closed

Maximum

ACT Corrective
Services

1986

30 April
2009

60 Belconnen

No

40 Mitchell

No

49 Symonston

Bimberi Youth
Justice Centre
Periodic
Detention
Centre[2]

Operational

Operational Minimum

ACT Department
of Disability,
3
Housing and
September
Community
2008
Services
ACT Corrective
Services

1962

300 Hume

Centre[2]
Symonston
Correctional
Centre[3]

ACT Corrective
Services

Operational

?

No

Total capacity

22 Symonston
411 (current)

New South Wales
The following list of operational and closed correctional facilities has been sourced
from the Corrective Services NSW and from the State Records archives.[4][5]

Main entrance of Goulburn
Correctional Centre, with
buildings designed by the
Colonial Architect, James Barnet
in 1884

Watch tower at Long Bay Correctional
Centre at Malabar.

Riverina Juvenile Justice Centre in
Wagga Wagga.

Prisons in New South Wales
Prison

Status

Classification

Managed

Opened

Closed

1998

?

? Grafton

14 August
1874

4 June
1943

? Albury

Acmena
Juvenile
Justice Centre

Operational

?

Juvenile Justice
NSW

Albury Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

Capacity

Location

Armidale Gaol Closed

?

n/a

14 August
1874

25 June
1920

Balranald Gaol Closed

?

Bathurst
Correctional
Centre

Operational

Bega Gaol

n/a

25 August
1887

1 August
1932

Minimum to
maximum

Corrective
Services NSW

14 August
1874

n/a

650 Bathurst

Closed

?

n/a

14 August
1874

1 May
1940

? Bega

Berrima Gaol

Closed

Minimum to
medium

n/a

1839

1909

? Berrima

Berrima
Correctional
Centre

Operational Minimum

Corrective
Services NSW

1949

n/a

75 Berrima

Biloela Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

circa 1
January
1888

12
September
1909

? Biloela

Bombala Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

30
26 January
November
1892
1939

? Bombala

Braidwood
Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

14 August 16 August
1874
1909

? Braidwood

Brewarrina
(Yetta
Dhinnakkal)
Centre

Operational Minimum

Broken Hill
Correctional
Centre

? Balranald

2000

n/a

70 Brewarrina

12 May
1891

n/a

89 Broken Hill

?

?

? Broken Hill

Corrective
Services NSW
Operational Medium

(initially as
Silverton Gaol)

Broken Hill
Juvenile
Justice Centre

? Armidale

Operational

?

Juvenile Justice
NSW

Burrowa Gaol

5
1 January
December
1889
1904

Closed

?

n/a

Cessnock
Correctional
Centre[6]

Operational

Minimum to
maximum

Correctional
Services NSW

1972[7]

n/a

750 Cessnock

Cobham
Juvenile
Justice Centre

Operational

?

Juvenile Justice
NSW

?

?

? St Marys

(or maybe
Boorowa Gaol)

Condobolin
Gaol
Cooma
Correctional
Centre[8]

Closed

Operational

Coonabarabran
Closed
Gaol

?
Minimum to
medium
(males and
females)

?

n/a

1
13 January
December
1902
1905

Corrective
Services NSW

1
November
1873 a

n/a a

n/a

2 October
1878

1 January
1903

? Boorowa

? Condobolin

160 Cooma

? Coonabarabran

Cootamundra
Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

Closed

?

?

1822

1914

Defence Force
Correctional
Operational
Establishment

?

Australian
Defence Force

1989

n/a

Deniliquin
Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

Dillwynia
Women's
Correctional
Centre[9]

Operational Medium

Corrective
Services NSW

204

n/a

200 Windsor

Dubbo Gaol

Museum[10] ?

Commonwealth
of Australia

1847

26 August
1966

? Dubbo

Emu Plains
Correctional
Centre[7]

Operational Minimum

Corrective
Services NSW

December
1914

n/a

Fort Denison

Museum

Maximum

National Parks
and Wildlife
Service

1788

?

?

Frank Baxter
Juvenile
Justice Centre

Operational

?

Juvenile Justice
NSW

?

?

? Kariong

Glen Innes
Correctional
Centre[7]

Operational Minimum

15 August
1928

n/a

95 Glen Innes

Goulburn
Correctional
Centre

Minimum to
Operational maximum;
supermax

14 August
1874

n/a

650 Goulburn

Grafton
Correctional
Centre[11]

Operational Medium

14 August
1974

n/a

270 Grafton

Grenfell Gaol

Closed

?

1 January
1877

1 January
1905

Hay Gaol

Closed

?

14 August
1874

31
October
1947

Ivanhoe
(Warakirri)
Correctional
Centre[9]

Operational Minimum

2000

n/a

50 Ivanhoe

John Morony
Correctional
Centre

Operational

1991

n/a

400 Windsor

Junee
Correctional
Centre[9]

Operational Medium

1993

n/a

850 Junee

2005

n/a

Darlinghurst
Gaol

Juniperina
Juvenile

Operational

Corrective
Services NSW

Minimum to
maximum

?

GEO Group
Australia
Juvenile Justice
NSW

25
31 August
November
1935
1886

15
14 August
November
1874
1935

? Cootamundra

? Darlinghurst
22

Holsworthy
Barracks

? Deniliquin

190 Emu Plains
Sydney
Harbour

? Grenfell
? Hay

? Lidcombe

Justice Centre
Kariong Youth
Correctional
Operational
Centre

?

Corrective
Services NSW

1991

n/a

Keelong
Juvenile
Justice Centre

Minimum

Juvenile Justice
NSW

1978

2009

Closed

Kempsey Gaol
(opened as West
Kempsey Gaol)

Closed

?

n/a

31
1 January
December
1884
1941

100 Kariong

? Unanderra

West Kempsey

Kirkconnell
Correctional
Centre

Operational Minimum

Corrective
Services NSW

28
November
1958

No

250 Sunny Corner

Leslie Nott
Afforestation
Camp, Laurel
Hill

Closed[12]

n/a

18 March
1957

23 June
1995

? Laurel Hill

Lithgow
Correctional
Centre

Operational Maximum

1990

n/a

Long Bay
Correctional
Centre

Operational Maximum

1909

n/a

b

Museum

Maximum

1848

28 January
1998

Mannus
Correctional
Centre

Operational Minimum

1930

n/a

Metropolitan
Remand and
Reception
Centre
(MRRC)[9]

Operational Maximum

1997

n/a

1,050 Silverwater

Mid North
Coast
Correctional
Centre[9]

Operational

Minimum to
medium

2004

n/a

500 Aldavilla

Mudgee Gaol

Closed

?

14 August 11 August
1874
1909

Mudgee

Narrabri Gaol

Closed

?

2
14 August
November
1874
1982

Narrabri

Oberon
Correctional
Centre[9]

Operational Minimum

Maitland Gaol

Parramatta
Correctional

Corrective
Services NSW

460 Lithgow

1,100 Sydney
400 Maitland
164 Tumbarumba

1930[13]

n/a

100 Oberon

Juvenile Justice
NSW

2000

?

45 Dubbo

Operational Medium

GEO Group
Australia

1983

n/a

893 Parklea

Closed

?

1842

3
September

Orana Juvenile
Operational
Justice Centre
Parklea
Correctional
Centre[9]

Minimum

?

Medium

580 Parramatta

Centre

1997

Port Macquarie
Closed
Gaol

?

Reiby Juvenile
Operational
Justice Centre

?

n/a

Juvenile Justice
NSW

circa 1
January
1952

31
October
1978

?

?

1984

?

33 Wagga Wagga

Port
Macquarie
? Airds

Riverina
Juvenile
Justice
Centre[14][15]

Operational

Silverwater
Correctional
Centre

Operational Minimum

?

n/a

? Silverwater

Silverwater
Women's
Correctional
Centre

Operational Minimum

1970

n/a

200 Silverwater

South Coast
Correctional
Centre[16]

Operational

2010

n/a

549 Nowra Hill

St Heliers
Correctional
Centre[9]

Operational Minimum

1990

n/a

280 Muswellbrook

Tamworth
Correctional
Centre

Operational Medium

1991

n/a

90 Tamworth

Taree Gaol

Closed

?

15
December
1884

31
October
1940

Taree

Trial Bay Gaol Museum

?

1886

1918

Arakoon

Tuncurry
Afforestation
Camp

Closed

?

26
October
1913

1 April
1938

Tuncurry

Wagga Wagga
Gaol

Closed

?

Wellington
Correctional
Centre

Operational Maximum

?

Minimum to
Maximum

Corrective
Services NSW

14 August 11 August
1874
1909
Corrective
Services NSW

2007

n/a
27
February
1928

Wagga Wagga
700 Wellington

Wentworth
Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

14 August
1874

Windsor Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

14 August 17 January
1874
1899

Wollongong
Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

14 August
1874

Wyalong Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

1 February 16 August
1899
1909

Wyalong

Yarrangobilly
Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

2
November
1966

Yarrangobilly

31
October
1915

21 July
1993

Wentworth
Windsor
Wollongong

Yasmar
Juvenile
Justice Centre

Closed

?

Juvenile Justice
NSW

1981

2006

36 Ashfield

Yass Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

1
16 August
September
1909
1883

Young Gaol

Closed

?

n/a

14 August
1874

1 August
1923

Total capacity

Yass
Young
4,927 (known)

^a Cooma commenced operations on 1 November 1873 with 31 cells. In 1876 it was reduced to a Police Gaol and then a
temporary Lunatic Asylum in 1877. The Centre closed temporarily in the early 1900s. The Gaol reopened on 8 March 1957
and was again closed 10 July 1998. Cooma Correctional Centre reopened for the second time in November 2001.
^b Maitland, now closed, had capacity for 400 inmates at its peak.

Northern Territory
Prisons in the Northern Territory
Prison
Alice Springs
Correctional
Centre

Status

Classification

Managed

Opened

Closed

1996

–

470

Alice
Springs

September
1998

–

10

Alice
Springs

1
Northern Territory
September
Correctional
1979
Services

–

Operational Maximum

Alice Springs
Juvenile
Operational Maximum
Holding Centre
Berrimah
Prison

Operational Maximum

Don Dale
Juvenile
Detention
Centre

Operational Maximum

Darwin
Correctional
Centre

Operational

Fannie Bay
Gaol

Closed

Minimum to
maximum

Maximum

Wildman River
Wilderness
Operational Minimum
Work Camp
Total capacity

Queensland

Department of
Community
Development,
Sport & Cultural
Affairs
Northern Territory
Correctional
Services

1989

–

September
2014

–

20
1
September September
1883
1979

1980s

Capacity Location

750 Darwin

38 Berrimah

1000 Holtze

? Darwin

20

Wildman
River

845 (current)

An aerial view of Boggo Road Gaol,
Brisbane, circa 1954.

Prisons in Queensland
Prison

Status

Classification

Managed

Opened

Closed

Capacity

Location

Arthur Gorrie
Correctional Operational Maximum
Centre

GEO Group
Australia

1992

–

890

Wacol

Boggo Road
Gaol

Now
operating as
a museum

July 1883

15 June
1992

?

Brisbane

Operational Maximum

Queensland
Corrective
Services

17
November
1989 &
reopened
on 07
March
2016

initially
closed 25
January
2012

494

Borallon

Operational Maximum

Queensland
Corrective
Services

2008

?

600

Wacol

Brisbane
Women's
Correctional
Centre

Operational Maximum

Queensland
Corrective
Services

June 1999 –

270

Wacol

Brisbane
Youth
Detention
Centre

Operational Maximum

Department
of
2001
Communities

105

Wacol

Cairns Gaol

Closed

Demolished

Prison
Department

8
7 April
September
1926
1897

-

Cairns

Capricornia
Correctional
Centre

Operational

High security/Low
security centres

Queensland
Corrective
Services

12
September –
2001

500

Rockhampton

Cleveland
Youth
Detention
Centre

Operational Maximum

100

Townsville

Borallon
Correctional
Centre

Closed

Maximum

Brisbane
Correctional
Centre
(formerly
known as Sir
David
Longland
Correctional
Centre)

Department
of
1980
Communities

–

–

Darling
Downs
Correctional
Centre

Closed

Low/Open

Queensland
Corrective
Services

10
30
170
December September
1994
2012

Ingham Gaol

Closed

Demolished

Prisons
Department

1885

John Oxley
Youth
Detention
Centre

Closed

Maximum

Lotus Glen
Correctional
Centre

Westbrook

6 August
1924

-

Ingham

Department
of
1987
Communities

2001

–

Wacol

Operational Maximum

Queensland
Corrective
Services

29 May
1989

–

500

Mareeba

Maryborough
Correctional Operational Maximum
Centre

Queensland
Corrective
Services

14
October
2002

–

500

Maryborough

Numinbah
Correctional
Centre

Operational Low/Open

Queensland
Corrective
Services

28
October
1940

–

129

Numinbah

Palen Creek
Correctional
Centre

Queensland
Operational Low/Open/Protection Corrective
Services

6
December –
1934

170

Rathdowney

Rockhampton
Correctional
Centre

Closed

High

Queensland
Corrective
Services

1969

Closed

Demolished

Prison
Department

7
3 October
December
1903
1872

Sir Leslie
Wilson Youth
Closed
Detention
Centre

Maximum

Department
of
1961
Communities

Southern
Queensland
Correctional
Centre

Minimum to
maximum

Serco

St. Helena
Penal
Closed
Establishment

Demolished

Stone River
Prison Farm

Closed

Toowoomba
Prison

Closed

(formerly
known as Etna
Creek Prison )

Roma Gaol

Townsville
Correctional
Centre
(formerly
known as
H.M.P.E.
Stewart's
Creek)

Operational

September
2001

Rockhampton

Roma

2001

–

Windsor

3 March
2012

–

300

Gatton

N/A

14 May
1867

December
–
1932

Demolished

Prison
Department

December 8 March
1945
1962

-

Ingham

Demolished

N/A

1864

1900

–

Toowoomba

Queensland
Corrective
Services

6 April
1893

–

494

Townsville

Operational Maximum

Brisbane