HM Prison Beechworth facts for kids
The main gate of HM Prison Beechworth (1940).
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| Location | Beechworth, Victoria |
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| Coordinates | 36°21′28″S 146°41′24″E / 36.35778°S 146.69000°E |
| Capacity | 132 |
| Opened | 1864 |
| Closed | 2004 |
| Managed by | Corrections Victoria |
HM Prison Beechworth, also known as Beechworth Gaol, was an important prison in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia. It was a medium-security facility.
Building the main prison started in 1859 and finished in 1864. It was a big project for its time. The prison closed its doors in 2004. After it closed, private companies bought the land. A new prison, the Beechworth Correctional Centre, opened nearby in January 2005.
Contents
The Story of Beechworth Gaol
Building the Prison
Beechworth Gaol was built where Beechworth's first simple jail, called a stockade, once stood. The Public Works Department of Victoria designed the prison. Workers used strong local granite stone to build it. This stone was dug out of the ground by prisoners themselves.
Beechworth was one of nine prisons in Victoria built with a special design called a panopticon. This design allowed guards to watch many prisoners from one central spot without the prisoners knowing if they were being watched.
Construction began in 1857. The prison first opened in 1860, but it wasn't fully finished. At first, it only had single cells for 36 prisoners. By 1864, when the building was complete, its capacity doubled.
Life Inside the Prison
The prison held both male and female prisoners. Women prisoners often did tasks like washing clothes and sewing for government offices.
Between 1865 and 1881, the prison was a place where very serious punishments happened.
Famous Bushranger Ned Kelly
The famous Australian bushranger Ned Kelly spent time at Beechworth Gaol. He was held there for six months in 1870-71 for a fight. Later, in 1880, he was held there again during his trial for a serious crime.
Ned Kelly's mother, Ellen, and two people connected to his family also served time at the prison in the late 1870s. They were there after a serious incident involving a police officer. In 1879, twenty people thought to be supporters of the Kelly gang were held at the prison. This was an effort to stop people from helping the gang. Because of fears that someone might try to break these supporters out, strong iron gates were put on the prison.
Changes Over Time
From 1918 to 1925, the prison closed because there weren't enough prisoners. It reopened in 1925 as a special place for male prisoners who had been in trouble before. This was meant to help them change their ways.
In 1951, it became a training prison. The focus shifted to helping prisoners learn new skills and get an education to prepare them for life outside. Beechworth Prison finally closed its doors in 2004.
Notable People Held at Beechworth Gaol
Many people were held at Beechworth Gaol over its long history. Some of the well-known individuals include:
- Joe Byrne
- Steve Hart
- Ned Kelly
- Aaron Sherritt
- Carl Williams
Images for kids
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The main gates of HM Prison Beechworth in 2022.
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A guard tower at HM Prison Beechworth in 2022 at sunrise.
