| Prison Name: | Old Castlemaine Gaol |
| Location: | Castlemaine, Victoria |
| Opened: | 1861 |
| Closed: | August 1990 |
The Old Castlemaine Gaol is a former prison, located in Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia. The building was modelled on Pentonville prison in London, replacing the original, designed by Inspector General John Price, which was never occupied. Built in 1861 to house offenders from the goldfields and nearby towns, it served various functions in the penal system before it was closed in 1990 and its prisoners transferred to HM Prison Loddon.
From 1861 to 1908, the gaol housed all manner of criminals, including lunatics and debtors, and ten men were hanged within the walls. In the later of these years however, the gaol housed mostly short-term prisoners and first-time offenders.
Between 1909 and 1951, the gaol was converted into a reformatory school for boys aged between 16 and 25. Most were under 21.
The gaol then closed for a number of years, before reopening in 1954 to accommodate medium-security prisoners from across the state. It remained open until August 1990.
After it ceased prison operations, it was used as a hotel and tourist attraction. It served as the studio for local community radio station WMA FM/Main FM 94.9 as well as various small businesses.
In 2018, the old gaol was sold to artist David Bromley.
The grounds were originally landscaped by renowned landscape gardener Hugh Linaker.[1]
| Name | Year of birth | Date of execution | Crime | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Young | 1831 | 21 August 1865 | Murder of Margaret Graham | |
| Long Poy | 10 March 1866 | |||
| William H Terry | 31 July 1867 | |||
| John Hogan | 1815 | 14 August 1868 | ||
| Ah Pew | 23 May 1870 | Murder of Elizabeth Annie Hunt | ||
| James Wilkie | 1844 | 20 May 1872 | ||
| Samuel Wright | 1813 | 11 March 1873 | ||
| Pierre Barbun | 1841 | 20 May 1873 | ||
| Ah Kat | 9 August 1875 | |||
| John Duffus | 1820 | 22 May 1876 | Criminal Assault of daughter |