Queensland Prisons Timeline

Before 1890, prisons were officially referred to as ‘gaols’. Under the 'Corrective Services Act 1988' all prisons became Correctional Centres. A ‘Police Gaol’ was staffed by police officers only and used for short-term prisoners.

1824-42: Moreton Bay Penal Settlement
1849-60: H.M. Gaol, Brisbane, Queen Street
1860-83: H.M. Gaol, Brisbane, Petrie Terrace
1863-1903: Fortitude Valley Police Gaol
1864-67: Proserpine (prison hulk), Brisbane River, Fort Lytton
1864-84: H.M. Gaol, Rockhampton
1864-1903: H.M. Gaol, Toowoomba
1865-32: St Helena Island Penal Establishment, Moreton Bay
1872-1903: H.M. Gaol, Roma
1877: Maryborough lock-up proclaimed a gaol for the purpose of an execution
1877-1891: Thursday Island Police Gaol
1878-93: H.M. Prison, Townsville
ca.1881-91: Blackall Police Gaol
1883-1992: H.M. Prison, Brisbane, Boggo Road, Woolloongabba (male)
1883-93: Mackay Police Gaol
1884-1939: H.M. Gaol, Rockhampton (2nd)
ca.1884-93: Cooktown Police Gaol
1886-1924: Ingham Police Gaol
1887-1902: Ayr Police Gaol
1888-92: Croydon Police Gaol
1888-1902: Charters Towers Police Gaol
1891-1983: H.M. Prison, Thursday Island
1891-1902: H.M. Prison, Blackall
1891-1935: H.M. Prison, Mackay
1891-93: Normanton Police Gaol
1893-1939: H.M Penal Establishment, Stewarts Creek, Townsville
1893-1922: H.M. Prison, Cooktown
1893-1945: H.M. Prison, Normanton
1893-94: Tambo Police Gaol
1897-1925: H.M. Prison, Cairns
1897-1902: Herberton Police Gaol
1897-98: Camooweal Police Gaol (reopened 1898-1902)
1903-1999: H.M. Prison, Brisbane, Boggo Road, Woolloongabba (female)
1903-23: Roma Police Gaol
1934- : H.M State Farm, Palen Creek, Rathdowney
1939-68: Rockhampton Police Gaol
1939- : H.M. Prison, Townsville (2nd)
1940- : Numinbah State Prison farm
1943-49: Whitenbah Prison, near Nerang
1944-62: H.M State Farm Stone River, near Ingham
1944-46: Marburg Prison Farm
1957-2000: H.M. Prison, Wacol (later ‘Moreton A’)
1968-2001: H.M. Prison, Rockhampton (also known as Etna Creek)
1971-2001: Security Patients Hospital (later ‘Moreton B’), Wacol
1973-91: H.M. Prison, Woodford
1988- : H.M. Brisbane Industrial Prison, Wacol (later Sir David Longlands Correctional Centre, then Brisbane Correctional Centre [2008])
1988- : Chewka (now Lotus Glen Correctional Centre)
1988- : Borallon Correctional Centre (privatised)
1992- : Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, Wacol (privatised 1992)
1997- : Woodford Correctional Centre
1999- : Wolston Correctional Centre, Wacol
1999- : Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre, Wacol
2001- Capricornia Correctional Centre, Rockhampton
2003- : Maryborough Correctional Centre

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