HM Prison Bendigo

The granite and red brick prison complex features two cell wings, a central hall, external walls, guard towers, and residential quarters on a hilltop location.

Built between 1861 and 1864 as Sandhurst Gaol, the facility operated continuously until 2004, including a period as a military detention center from 1939 to 1953.

The prison architecture follows the panopticon principle, allowing guards to monitor all inmates from a central position, reflecting 19th-century British penal design philosophies.

The facility contained 85 cells and housed both male and female prisoners until 1896, when women inmates transferred to Pentridge Prison in Melbourne.

Three executions occurred at the prison between 1885 and 1897, with the remains of these prisoners buried within the prison grounds.

Location: Victoria

Inception: 1863

Official opening: 1863

GPS coordinates: -36.75444,144.28028

Latest update: March 18, 2025 18:54