Berrima Gaol

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Berrima Gaol is a heritage-listed former prison in Berrima, New South Wales. Established in 1839, it was used for a variety of prison and internment purposes until its final closure in 2020, at which point it was the oldest Australian correctional facility in operation. The site was subsequently sold into private ownership in 2022.

The gaol was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[1]

History

Early history

The old Berrima Gaol was built in 1835–39 of local sandstone at a cost of £5,400. Convicted London joiner and carpenter James Gough (1790–1876) who arrived on the Earl Spencer in 1813 and gained his conditional pardon in 1821, was awarded the construction of Berrima Gaol in partnership with John Richards in 1834; much of the construction work was done by convicts in irons.[1] It initially comprised 34 cells accommodating 66 prisoners. The design was adopted by the Governor, Richard Bourke, from a Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline pamphlet. Conditions at the gaol were harsh; prisoners spent most of their days in cells and the only light was through a small grate set in the door. It was originally designed to hold prisoners from the surrounding areas, but Goulburn Gaol took over this role and Berrima Gaol became a subsidiary prison housing sick and aged convicts from other gaols.[1][2][3]

Australia's first serial killer John Lynch was hanged here in 1842. Another of the notable trials held in the nearby Berrima Court House was that of Lucretia Dunkley and her lover Martin Beech. Both were hanged in 1843 for the murder of Dunkley's husband. Dunkley was the only woman hanged at Berrima Gaol.

In 1866 the gaol was renovated to the standards described by the prison reform movement for a "model prison", enlarging the prison such as to provide separate cells for 110 prisoners.[1] However, Berrima Gaol had solitary confinement cells which measured 8 feet by 5 feet, some smaller, where it was intended that all prisoners spent one year. In 1877 a Royal Commission was held to investigate allegations of cruelty by the prison authorities, but the complaints were not upheld.

In 1898, a residence for the governor (or superintendent) of Berrima was built next door. In the 1930s it was used as a police station. A house for the deputy superintendent was built on the other side of the gaol.

First closure and use as internment camp

In 1909, Berrima Gaol was closed. During World War I the army used the gaol (in conjunction with an adjacent area, now known as the Berrima Internment Camp Huts Area) as a German-prisoner internment camp. Most of the 329 internees were enemy aliens from shipping companies. There were German officers from Rabaul, German New Guinea (what is now Papua New Guinea) and also officers from the light cruiser SMS Emden.[1][4][5]

During the interwar period, the gaol was opened for public inspection as a place of historic interest, with a fee charged for entry. Then, during the early years of World War II, it was used as an army depot.[1]

Reuse as a prison

Prison operations recommenced at the site of Berrima Gaol with its declaration as the Berrima Prison Camp in 1944, a work camp for those sentenced to penal labour.[6] From 1944 to 1949, the whole gaol was rebuilt by prison labour at a cost of 18,000 Australian pounds. Only the entrance and outer walls of the old Berrima Gaol were left standing. Afterwards, it was redesignated as the Berrima Training Centre, a minimum security correctional facility.[1]

Between 1970 and 2001, the Centre was classified as minimum/medium security for male inmates. Most inmates were permitted to work outside of the Centre on the local market gardens managed by Corrective Services NSW. Some detainees were permitted to maintain local parks and gardens and also assist with duties in the community such as fighting fires with the local firefighters.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

In 1997, the Berrima Training Centre was legally disestablished and replaced with the newly proclaimed Berrima Correctional Centre on the same site.[6] After one hundred and sixty six years as a men's prison, it became a woman's prison, with a capacity of fifty-nine inmates.

In the 2011 NSW State Budget, the Government announced that the centre would be closed, which took effect on 4 November 2011.[7][8] Immediately prior to its closure in 2011, the Centre was an all-female low-to-medium-security prison,[9] and was responsible for the administration of a periodic detention centre and court cells at Wollongong.

Final years as a prison

The Berrima Correctional Centre was temporarily re-opened on 27 September 2016 as part of a statewide initiative to add 1400 beds to the New South Wales prison population. It was expected to house 75 minimum security prisoners.[10]

In 2019, the correctional centre became the centre of a scandal. A prison officer, Colin Kelleher, was arrested and later found guilty of having a romantic relationship with an inmate, Kim Quach. He was suspended and given a 12 month community corrective order.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

By 2020, the Berrima Correctional Centre was the oldest Australian correctional facility still in operation, was no longer fit-for-purpose and had become surplus to the needs of Corrective Services NSW.[11] The correctional centre was formally disestablished in March 2021, having been inoperative since the previous April.[12] In 2022, the site was sold to a property developer.[13][14][15]

Heritage listing

Berrima Gaol is one of the few remaining compounds dating from pre 1840. It is an early example of the application of model prison layouts. Associated with the development of Berrima, and the adjacent courthouse, the Gaol is significant for its phases of use.[1]

The building was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[1]

Photo gallery

See also

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References

Citations

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  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Template:Cite NSW SHR
  2. ↑ Webb, 2008, 10
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Berrima DADG banner, c. 1916 Template:Webarchive at NSW Government Migration Heritage Centre
  5. ↑ Berrima Concentration Camp, World War I Template:Webarchive Documents and images at National Library of Australia
  6. ↑ a b Template:Cite archive
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Template:Cite archive
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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Sources

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Attribution

External links

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