Redruth Gaol

Redruth Gaol is a stone prison in Burra featuring eight cells arranged around secure exercise yards. The building also contains former administrative offices that managed the facility's operations.

The facility opened in 1856 as the first prison built outside Adelaide in South Australia. By the late 1800s it was repurposed as a girls reformatory, showing how correctional practices shifted over time.

The stone walls and sparse rooms show how confinement worked in colonial times, reflecting attitudes toward punishment and rehabilitation. Walking through reveals how people experienced isolation within these strict architectural spaces.

Access the prison through the Burra Heritage Passport system, which you can obtain at the local Visitor Centre. This allows you to explore the site at your own pace during daily visiting hours.

In the 1870s the prison became severely overcrowded, with around 22 inmates squeezed into the eight cells. This crisis sparked discussions about building better correctional facilities across the region.