A chill wind whispers tales of confinement as we stand before Long Bay Correctional Centre. Commonly called Long Bay, it’s more than just walls and barbed wire. This complex has a long history. It comprises heritage-listed prisons and a hospital.
Long Bay’s story stretches back long before its imposing structures arose. Local Aboriginal people fished and held cultural events here. Rock engravings and middens whisper of their time. In 1789 Governor Philip noted “a long bay” and the name stuck.
Now look at the sandstone and brick. Walter Liberty Vernon designed this complex. It opened because Darlinghurst Gaol was closing. The State Reformatory for Women opened in 1909. The State Penitentiary for Men opened in 1914. Gallows stood here from 1917 to 1939.
Imagine the heavy gates clanging shut. The yards here were built in a Panopticon style. It allowed for constant surveillance. A report in 1946 found Long Bay overcrowded. It recommended better sanitation. It also suggested more time out of cells for prisoners.
Paul Kelly even played a Christmas Eve concert here in 1985. Think about that contrast music within these walls.
Long Bay has seen its share of dark days. In 1990 a mentally ill HIV-positive prisoner stabbed a guard. He used a syringe filled with his blood. The officer later died.
The facility was redeveloped in the late 1990s. It now offers special treatment units. These programs address sex offenses and drug abuse. They also deal with intellectual disabilities and violence.
Ivan Milat Australia’s notorious serial killer spent his final days here.
Now consider Katingal. This supermax prison block opened in 1975. It was meant for terrorists and difficult prisoners. Inmates called it an “electronic zoo”. It had electronically controlled confinement. Artificial lights and air isolated inmates. Russell “Mad Dog” Cox escaped Katingal. He remained on the run for 11 years. Justice John Nagle heavily criticised Katingal. Demolition began in 2006.
The former Male Penitentiary had six cell wings. It also included a debtors’ prison. Workshops, a hospital and an observation ward were also here. The kitchen block faced the entrance. Each single cell measured about 3.96 by 2.13 meters.
Four of the six wings featured back-to-back cells. They opened directly to the outdoors. The entrance block evokes a medieval castle gatehouse. It’s in Federation Gothic style. Electric lighting and reinforced concrete floors were used here.
Overcrowding was a problem as early as the 1920s. Timber huts were erected between prisons. The Penitentiary absorbed the old Reformatory in 1962.
Today Long Bay holds around 1,200 prisoners. This overcrowding puts a strain on the facility.
The new Long Bay Hospital is a maximum-security facility. It holds 120 inmate patients. It is run jointly by Corrective Services and NSW Health.
The Metropolitan Special Programs Centre houses many types of inmates. It’s the second largest prison by population in New South Wales.
The Special Purpose Centre holds inmates needing special protection. Their identities are kept secret. Staff must sign confidentiality agreements.
Many notable figures have been prisoners at Long Bay. These include Jai Abberton and Rodney Adler. Also Rene Rivkin and Roger Rogerson spent time here.
Long Bay has appeared in books and music. James Phelps wrote about it in his book Australia’s Hardest Prison. Eleanor Limprecht’s novel Long Bay tells the story of an early inmate.
Long Bay Correctional Centre is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. It was the first purpose-built Penitentiary in NSW. It shows penal design and Frederick Neitenstein’s philosophy. Its siting makes a strong visual impact.
As we leave Long Bay consider its layered history. It is a place of punishment and reform. It is a place of darkness and perhaps sometimes hope. Long Bay remains a significant part of Sydney’s story.