AGY-409 | Biloela Gaol

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Biloela, (part of the old Cockatoo Island Penal Establishment), was the main women's prison between 1888 and August 1909. In his annual report for 1887 (dated 16 April, 1888) the Comptroller-General of Prisons advised that Biloela was soon to be occupied by "the broken down class of metropolitan vagrants'. (1) Owing to the lack of separate accommodation for the different types of offenders, attempts at reformation were rarely successful. (2) The offenders were chiefly vagrants, drunkards and prostitutes. (3) In his report for 1898 the Comptroller of Prisons reported as follows: "The greater portion of the female gaol population are of the prostitute class, and they are chiefly congregated at Biloela, while the ordinary short-sentenced women are kept at Darlinghurst, and those with long terms at Bathurst. Biloela is utterly unsuitable as a prison." (4) Biloela was closed on 12 September 1909 following the opening of the State Reformatory for Women at Long Bay. (5) FOOTNOTES : (1) Annual report of the Comptroller General of Prisons, 1888 p. 1 in Votes and Proceedings 1887 -88, Volume 4 p.1223 (2) Official Yearbook of New South Wales, 1909 - 10, p.420 (3) Archives Authority of NSW, "The Concise Guide", Corrective Services, p.38 (4) Report on prisons for the year 1898 p. 2 in Votes and Proceedings Third Session 1899 vol. 2 p. 964 (5) Concise Guide. Corrective Services , p.38 REFERENCES (1) Official Yearbook of New South Wales, 1904/5 - 1988. Sydney, Government Printer, 1906 - 1988 (2) Archives Authority of NSW, "The Concise Guide" 2nd Edition, Sydney, The Authority, 1992 (3) Blue Books (Public Service Lists) 1858 - 1960, Sydney, Government Printer, 1858- 1960