Townsville correctional centres
Townsville correctional centres refurbishment and expansion
Townsville's two high security correctional centres are located at Stuart, 12 kilometres west of the North Queensland city. The male centre has an adjoining low security farm facility accommodating up to 60 prisoners. The centres also manage Work camps in the western Queensland towns of Boulia, Julia Creek and Winton (men), and in the coastal town of Bowen (women).
Townsville Correctional Centre
Townsville Correctional Centre (TCC) is a high security men's facility with a current built capacity of 303. The centre supports laundry, tailor shop, plant nursery and farm industries for employment of prisoners and hosts a number of innovative projects at the farm facility, including a Eucalyptus plantation providing a daily supply of gum leaves to a nearby animal sanctuary. In addition to centre requirements, the laundry and tailor shop provide services under contract to the community and the farm produces fruit and vegetables for centre consumption.
TCC is currently undergoing a $142.5 million refurbishment and expansion, scheduled for completion in mid-2009. Ninety-six cells have been demolished as part of the expansion and refurbishment, making way for a new 200 cells. The project will also provide the centre with a new programs building, covered sports hall, five industry workshops, a central kitchen, visits area, detention unit and prisoner processing area. New staff and visitor carparking, an access road and dog squad facilities will also be constructed.
Townsville Women's Correctional Centre
Queensland's second stand-alone women's correctional facility, Townsville Women's Correctional Centre (TWCC), received its first prisoners in December 2008. Construction of the new $130 million facility began in mid-2006. The centre replaced the previous facility, established in 1986 within the perimeter of the men's TCC.
TWCC can accommodate up to 154 offenders. The centre includes a specialist mothers and babies unit featuring two units with four oversized bedrooms in each to accommodate up to eight mothers and babies. The centre also features state-of-the art security including video, audio, biometrics, staff duress tracking, movement control and perimeter security.
Other features include 64 secure cells and 90 residential units; special facilities for prisoners with disabilities; a double unit (equivalent to eight beds) for mothers with babies; Indigenous meeting place; medical services building; program education building; sentence management building; administration building; new gatehouse; central kitchen and bulk store; covered sports hall; and a visits facility.
Link to Townsville Correctional Centre Visitor Fact Sheet
Last updated:
26 June 2009
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