Former Ballarat Gaol
107 LYDIARD STREET SOUTH, BALLARAT CENTRAL, BALLARAT CITY
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Statement of Significance
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Former Ballarat Gaol - Physical Description 1
This gaol, entrance complex and imposing high wall now form part of the Ballarat School of Mines. Construction of the first wing of cell blocks began in 1857, and in 1860 the gaolers and warders quarters, towers and walls were constructed.
The gaol design was undertaken by the Public Works Department and was one of the earliest gaols constructed as part of the great gaol building programme.
This was as a result of the 1857 Report of the Select Committee on Prison Discipline which recommend the immediate construction of prison accommodation on land.
The radiating cell blocks have been demolished. This gaol entrance complex is similar to the Ararat and Beechworth Gaols, but differs in detailing and choice of materials: brick and basalt dressings are 'used here instead of bluestone or granite.
The gateway, flanking buildings, wall and guar4 tower are substantially intact (apart from the paintwork to the eastern building), are a significant example. of gaol buildings and walls, and provide a major focus to this important precinct.
Former Ballarat Gaol - Intactness
INTACTNESS: cell blocks demolished
Former Ballarat Gaol - Physical Description 2
BUILDING ANALYSIS AND DESCRIPTION
This group of buildings and imposing high wall, now part of the School of Mines, was constructed as part of the Old Ballarat Gaol.
Construction of the first wing of cell blocks began in 1857 for a cost of £6,574 and in were constructed 1860 the Gaolers and Warders quarters, towers and walls for a cost .of 136,420. 1 The design was undertaken by This gaol was one of the earliest. constructed as part of the great gaol Committee on Prison Discipline of September 1857, which recommended the the Public Works Department, and R.A.Powden, A.T.Snow and H.A. Williams signed the drawings.
This gaol was one of the earliest. constructed as part of the great gaol building programme. This was the result of the Report of the Select Committee on prison Disciplines of September 1857, which recommended on the abolition of the prison hulks and the immediate construction on land of prison accommodation.
All prisons built in Victoria after 1851 adopted the Pentonville Prison London design (of.1842) which created a revolution in prison design. The complex was based on a central hall from which radiated wings of cells - the principle of the design being that one guard' would stand in the centre of the hall and at' one glance survey all cells. An early photo of c.1861 shoes the goal building as constructed. The radiating cell blocks have subsequently been demolished.
Almost all the entrances to the prisons built in Victoria are very similar, with a large stone gateway flanked on each side by gaolers and turnkey quarters. This is similar to Pentonville. The gaol entrance at Ararat is totally in bluestone with similar placement of fenestration, but different details, with the same plan used for buildings and gateway. The Castlemaine gaol is much simpler and is not directly comparable; and the Beechworth gaol is again to the same plans and general facade treatment, but the detailing differs and it is constructed entirely in granite. The entrance to the Ballarat Gaol is mainly of brick with basalt rustication around the entrance gateway. The gateway, flanking buildings and corner guard tower ~ are all substantially intact (apart from the paintwork to the two storey eastern building). They form a very important group of gaol buildings and walls, and provide a significant streetscape component to this part of Ballarat.
Heritage Study and Grading
Ballarat - Ballarat Conservation Study
Author: Jacobs Lewis Vines Architects
Year: 1978
Grading:
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FORMER POLICE STATION, BALLARATVictorian Heritage Register H1544
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