Experimental Gaol: Stories From The Gladstone Gaol - Part 3

Experimental Gaol:

 Stories From The Gladstone Gaol - Part 3

In late 1953, Gladstone Gaol reopened as a medium-security corrective training facility for offenders aged between 18 and 25.

Looking at the central guard tower - Gladstone Gaol
© Karen Tiller

In 1955, the gaol underwent its first major expansion with the construction of what is now known as "C Block", or the Experimental Wards. The addition increased the prison's capacity to 125 cells. By 1969, the gaol housed around 130 prisoners and processed up to 20 prisoner transfers each day.

The term "Experimental Wards" has often been misunderstood. I have read many outrageous stories that have arisen from the misinterpretation of the word "experimental". The gaol was never "experimental" with its prisoners. There were never prefrontal lobotomies or other medical procedures carried out on inmates. In reality, the term "experimental" referred to the design of the cells themselves.

At the time, no other prison in the world had cells like those constructed at Gladstone Gaol. These cells had no windows and contained a concrete ledge at one end that served as the prisoner's bunk. They also featured an internal ventilation system with air vents designed in such a way that escape through them was impossible.

Looking over the Laundry area from the tower
© Karen Tiller

The entire cell block was built above ground level, as can still be seen from the outside today. This allowed air to circulate beneath the cells, helping to keep them much cooler during Gladstone's scorching summers, when temperatures can easily reach 46°C.

Throughout more than 100 years of operation, there were only 26 escapes from Gladstone Gaol. Only one escapee was never recaptured—an Italian prisoner who reportedly fashioned a master key from a piece of wire and successfully escaped.

The gaol eventually closed in December 1975 due to government concerns that its facilities were outdated. More recently, a former prison officer who worked there during the gaol's final five years has publicly advocated for the facility to be reopened to house lower-security offenders.

In 1979, the gaol welcomed a new group of "prisoners", although these were simply actors filming the Australian movie Stir, starring Bryan Brown. The film, a gritty portrayal of life inside an Australian prison, left behind several props that remain today. These include the daily activity boards mounted on the backs of cell doors and a small museum dedicated to the film within C Block. Several signs throughout the gaol, including one reading "Maximum Security", are also original props from the production.

Movie Prop from the movie "Stir"
©Allen Tiller

Mr Rob Williams was quoted in the regional newspaper The Flinders News as saying:

"It was a very sad, depressing and unnecessary day when the prison closed. It was a ridiculous decision, one that was totally political.

Now, the whole criminal justice system is soft. There is too much emphasis today on the comfort of the offender than there is on the welfare and safety of the victim.

Gladstone Gaol is unique in every way, with its high tapered walls and self-sufficient design. Instead of closing places such as Gladstone and Adelaide Gaol, both should have been kept operational."

References:

The Flinders News

http://www.theflindersnews.com.au/story/323820/bring-back-the-gladstone-gaol/

 http://www.gladstonesa.com.au/gladstone-gaol/

www.trove.nla.gov.au