Wentworth Gaol, Former correctional facility in Wentworth, Australia
Wentworth Gaol is a former correctional facility in Wentworth, New South Wales, featuring a distinctive arc-shaped layout built in the 1800s. The structure contains separate cell blocks for male and female prisoners, a central courtyard, kitchen facilities, a hospital wing, and residential areas for staff members.
Architect James Barnet designed the facility, which began operations in 1881 and served as a working prison for nearly five decades. After closure in 1928, the building transitioned through different uses before becoming a museum preserving this chapter of New South Wales penal history.
The layout of separate areas for different groups of prisoners shows how authorities organized daily life inside these walls. Walking through the rooms reveals the practical separation that defined the prison experience for those held here.
The site is open to visitors on most days, with guided tours available that lead through the cell blocks, courtyards, and prisoner facilities. It is helpful to wear sturdy shoes and allow enough time to explore all areas thoroughly without feeling rushed.
The original prison library remains intact with its nineteenth-century book collection still in place. This collection offers a rare glimpse into the educational programs once made available to inmates and reveals which works authorities chose to shape reading habits.
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