Narrabri Gaol and Residence, Heritage site in Narrabri, Australia.
Narrabri Gaol and Residence is a prison and residence building in the town of Narrabri made from thick brick construction and solid walls. It features a classical pediment, a central wing, and high brick walls with rendered edges on the exterior.
The first lock-up on the site, built in 1865, had two cells for up to six prisoners and was extended in 1875. After escapes and overcrowding in 1877, tenders were called in 1880 for a new gaol and residence designed by Colonial Architect James Barnet. J. Conlon's tender of £3,590 was accepted, and the buildings were constructed in 1880–81.
The gaol was a police gaol, and its cells, yards and residence were part of everyday life in Narrabri for 101 years, giving the town's only important group of civil buildings its dominant element on Bowen Street. The site began with the first court house, lock-up and keeper's quarters; the 1865 lock-up held six prisoners in two cells.
The building maintains its original structure with thick exterior walls and an elevated floor level. Visitors can view the classic brickwork and high perimeter walls from the outside.
The facility operated for over a century and is one of the last remaining country gaols from the era of James Barnett. This makes it a rare example of original correctional architecture from that period.
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