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Bathurst Correctional Centre facts for kids

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Bathurst Correctional Centre
Penitentiary Batrurst, NSW Australia.jpg
The hand-carved sandstone gate and façade of the Bathurst Correctional Complex
Bathurst Correctional Complex is located in New South Wales
Bathurst Correctional Complex
Bathurst Correctional Complex
Location in New South Wales
Location Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates 33°25′04″S 149°33′30″E / 33.41778°S 149.55833°E / -33.41778; 149.55833
Status Operational
Security class Medium / Minimum
Capacity 222
Opened 7 June 1888 (1888-06-07)
Former name Bathurst Gaol
Managed by Department of Communities and Justice
Website
Building details
General information
Cost 102,000
Technical details
Material Sandstone and brick
Design and construction
Architect
  • James Barnet
  • Walter Liberty Vernon
Architecture firm Colonial Architect of New South Wales
Official name: Bathurst Correctional Centre
Designated: 2 April 1999
Reference #: 00806

The Bathurst Correctional Centre is a special building in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It's a place where adults who have broken the law are kept. The Department of Communities and Justice runs it. This centre holds people who have been found guilty of crimes, and also a few who are waiting for their court cases.

The centre has different parts for men, depending on how much security they need. There's a section for medium-security and those waiting for court. Another part is for minimum-security men. A new, very secure part for men was planned to open in 2020. There is also a smaller, separate area for women within the centre's grounds.

What Does the Centre Look Like?

The Bathurst Centre is built like a square. It has a main gate and two tall watch towers at the corners. The homes for the Governor (who runs the centre) and Deputy Governors are just outside the main walls.

Inside, there used to be a chapel, which was a central point. Four areas with cells and the kitchen spread out from where the chapel was. On one side of the chapel area, there was a completely separate section for women. On the other side, there was a hospital for men.

The Bathurst Centre and the Goulburn Centre were designed almost exactly the same. However, the Goulburn Centre still has more of its original parts.

Why is the Centre Important?

The Bathurst Correctional Complex is important for a few reasons. It is one of two special "model prisons" designed a long time ago, in the late 1870s and early 1880s. These designs showed new ideas in how prisons were built back then. It's also important because it has been used as a centre for a very long time.

The Bathurst Correctional Complex was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. This means it's a special historical place that needs to be protected.

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