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Maitland Gaol
Maitland, New South Wales, Australia
Maitland Gaol was Australia’s longest continuously operating prison and now operates as a museum and tourist attraction.
Antara Bate
24 nov 2020.
About Maitland Gaol
Maitland Gaol in New South Wales was Australia’s longest continuously operating prison before being closed and reinvented as a museum and tourist attraction.
First opened in 1848, Maitland was finally shut in 1998 as part of a general upgrade to Australia’s prison system.
Maitland Gaol history
For almost 150 years Maitland Gaol kept some of Australia’s most infamous criminals contained behind its towering sandstone walls and razor wire fencing.
The award-winning tourist attraction is one of around a dozen historic gaols and similar sites that are now open to the public across Australia, providing an insight into the country’s prison system, as well as many other aspects of early life in the colony.
Maitland Gaol was built in the mid-1800s using sandstone sourced from the local area including Morpeth and Farley. Positioned prominently on top of a hill in East Maitland, the foundation stone was laid in 1844, with the first prisoners incarcerated in the multi-building complex in December 1848.
The gaol was built over several stages between 1844 and 1900, with much of the masonry work carried out by prisoners. Some additions and alterations were undertaken in the late 1960s and ’70s yet the closure of the gaol was announced in 1996 as part of an upgrade to the state’s prison system.
Maitland Gaol closed as a maximum-security prison on January 29, 1998, with the honour of being Australia’s oldest structure in continuous use as a gaol. Thirteen months later Maitland City Council was awarded a 50-year lease for the site, with plans to adaptively reuse the Gaol as a museum. The Gaol was also added to the State Heritage Register in 1999.
Over the years since being reopened as a tourist attraction, a number of guided tours have been developed at the Gaol.
The Gaol was also the site of numerous daring escapes, with almost 40 attempts made throughout its history, although most of them failed. The last recorded escape plot, on May 17, 1997, was thwarted before it even began.
Guided tours led by ex-warders and ex-inmates are among the Gaols’ most popular offerings, providing a unique perspective into life behind bars with stories that are not for the faint-hearted.
Maitland Gaol is rumoured to be the most haunted site in the Hunter, making its regular ghost tours another popular activity for those curious about the paranormal.
Maitland Gaol today
Thousands of visitors from all over the world visit the convict-built structure every year to explore the stories of what life was like behind its grim stone walls. Today, visitors to Maitland Gaol can learn about its vibrant history, which spanned more than 150 years.
Maitland Gaol doesn’t contain signage with information for our visitors to read, instead, a self-guided audio tour is available, along with a number of guided tour options. Each tour has a route to follow and visitors are provided with a map of the site.
Getting to Maitland Gaol
Maitland Gaol is located at 6-18 John Street in East Maitland. Visitors can take the train to Maitland Gol, East Maitland Train station is located 100m away from the entrance of Maitland Gaol.
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Maitland Gaol tour: chasing ghosts in a notorious prison
Maitland Gaol closed in 1998, but is now open to the public as a museum. Read more about visiting and what you should expect to see or experience during a Maitland Gaol tour.
“It was here in the C-Wing that notorious prisoners Ivan Milat and George Savvas plotted to escape in 1997. Their attempt was thwarted and the two, separated. George Savvas was found dead , twenty four hours after what would have been the day of their escape… in the very cell you stand in now.”
. .. …
I looked around the cell block, nervously. I was alone in the C-Wing, the last cell block constructed at Maitland Gaol. Doors were routinely slamming behind me as I walked through the wing. Was it the wind? Or something else…?
I think it was fair to say I was officially freaked out. And as I was currently standing in Australia’s most notorious prison, with the evidence of prisoner’s past still on display on every wall and around each corner, I had every right to feel this way.
This post forms part of my guide to the Hunter region of NSW. See things to do in Lake Macquarie and the best beaches in Newcastle . And here’s some suggestions of wonderful weekend getaways in New South Wales .
What to expect on a Maitland Gaol tour
Well, what can I tell you about Maitland gAOL? Apart from the fact that the building it is possibly/probably haunted, which can be rather thrilling if you’re into that sort of thing.
It’s certainly a top thing to do in Maitland . If you’re spending any sort of time in the Lower Hunter, you should sign up for Maitland Gaol tour.
Maitland Gaol history
The Gaol first opened its doors to unwilling occupants on 31 December, 1848 (making it pretty much ancient in colonial Australian terms). At the time it consisted of merely what is now known as the “A Wing”.
Everything started off hunky dory, with the male prisoners being housed in the ground floor cells and women contained in the floor above them.
They were grouped together at first, although the cells were soon turned into single units.
This was done under the theory that criminals would repent and find salvation, if left alone with only their thoughts for company. Of course.
Women were removed from the gaol in the 1950s, when it became male only territory. As the years went by, it got overcrowded, holding more prisoners than it could possibly cope with.
These tiny single cells could see three people housed in them at one time.
Part of the reason that it closed in 1998, was because it was an 1840s gaol trying to meet 1990s conditions… a feat which would prove to be impossible.
Life at Maitland Gaol
You could get a better insight into what life was like in prison from taking a Maitland Gaol tour, than from let’s say, binge-watching Orange is the New Black .
There was a code of conduct between prisoners – you could be a murderer, a thief, or a thug and you’d probably find some sort of acceptance within the gaol.
Those who hurt children or animals were considered to be completely intolerant to other criminals and often had to be kept in isolation, for fear of their safety.
Maitland Gaol was the setting for 16 executions, before Australia abolished capital punishment forever (federally in 1973, although Queensland kicked things off in 1922 and New South Wales, dragging their feet, didn’t completely abolish it until 1985).
The last execution in Maitland took place on 21 May 1897, when Charles Hines was hanged for raping his step daughter, despite protesting his innocence all the way to the gallows.
Australia has been forward thinking in some ways, not so much in others. Homosexuality was illegal in the state of New South Wales until 1984, although the last prisoner flogged for homosexuality was in 1905.
Overall, it was not a fun place to be, as you might imagine. Prisoners were miserable. Wardens were miserable and quite a few escapes were made over the years.
Escapes at Maitland Gaol
Maitland Gaol achieved some notoriety for some of these escapes, particularly those plotted by high profile criminals.
In 1977, Raymond John Denning and six other prisoners made their escape through an air vent in the showers.
How did they do this? They lured the supervising officer out of the block and cut off the grills of the vent, before climbing through.
The group stood out like sore thumbs as they ran across Maitland and were seized and hurled back inside.
Just one of the many things you’ll hear about on a Maitland Gaol tour.
Twenty years later, another attempt was made by the aforementioned Backpacker Killer Ivan Milat and George Savvas in May, 1997. The attempt was thwarted by staff and the two, separated.
Savvas was housed in C-Wing and found dead the day after he and Milat would have attempted their escape, with the coroner ruling his death a suicide.
Milat was transferred out of Maitland, to continue serving out his life sentence in Goulbourn (a town known for its giant Merino Big Thing ).
Taking a Maitland Gaol tour
These days, the gaol exists as a museum, one that visitors to the area have the opportunity to tour for themselves.
Self guided tours are available every day of the week – 9am–4pm Monday to Friday and 10am–4pm on weekends (make sure you get in before 3pm).
These cost $19 a pop, at the time of writing. You’re given a map and your own guide and are free to wander around the gaol to your heart’s content.
You start at the visitor’s room and continue through the C, B, and A blocks, then onto the kitchen, the hospital, the chapel and the industry centre.
It’s an easy way to get a solid overview of the history and impact of Maitland Gaol on its inmates, staff and the surrounding community.
There are a bunch of other tours on offer, for those wanting to get a little more out of the experience.
Ex-Wardens offer tours by day, or night for people who are far less wimpy than I am. It’s a chance to hear first hand, the harrowing stories of those who experienced the worst aspects of the gaol. Tickets are $28 for adults and $22 for children for day tours – tack another $5 on the ticket price and BYO torch for a night time tour.
There are a bunch of other specialised tours, including the Psychic Experience , where you’ll hear some ghost tales and possibly be lucky enough to get your palm read at the end.
Fancy yourself a Ghostbuster? Maybe the Ghosthunting 101 Tour is for you.
There have been spooky sightings at the gaol, so you may be lucky (or unlucky) enough to experience one yourself.
There’s plenty of other tours and experiences to choose from .
Getting to Maitland Gaol
The Gaol is a highlight of the Hunter region, a perfect little detour for those who perhaps plan on visiting the nearby wine region. It’s a two hour drive from Sydney and only half an hour from Newcastle , so worth considered if you’re making a trip to Australia’s neatest coastal city.
Should you do a Maitland Gaol tour?
Maitland gaol is a top dark tourism destination in Australia and definitely worth visiting.
I’ve been through a few ex-gaols in Oz (as a visitor, not a ‘guest’!) and this is one of the best.
Definitely put it on your list of things to do in the Lower Hunter, whether you live here or are just passing through.
For more, check out this article on creepy Australian urban legends and discover the most haunted places to visit in Melbourne .
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All prices are in Australian dollars.
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27 Comments
Oh, this is a very spooky place! An interesting blog to read, thank you.
No worries!
It was very resourceful turning this unused gaol into a tourist attraction. I can outright say that I wouldn’t want to spend a night here!
I’m not too keen, either!
What an interesting blog! Sounds a little bit scary! Not sure if I would stay a night here! Lol. Keep up the great content! 🙂
Haha dunno if I would, either.
An interesting place for a visit! We always travel with the kids and I’m wondering what they would think about this place??!!
It would be a great way to introduce the legal system! We always read about things before we go so the kids will have a greater understanding of the things we see during an adventure!
There are always stacks of kids at the gaol and it’s well catered to suit them (particularly the interactive tours). Kids are so fearless, I suppose because they don’t think, they just do!
Also the jolly nice and free Maitland gallery is just round the corner too!
With their delicious golden lattes – yum, yum!
This sounds amazing. I’m kind of obsessed with serial killers (in a totally non-creepy way!) so staying here overnight would be like a dream come true for me. Can I also just take a moment to say that homosexuality has been legal in Old South Wales since 1967 AND you can get married these days. OSW 1 – 0 NSW 😉
The psychology of them is really interesting and there were some real creeps housed at Maitland. Yeah, we’re so far behind, in so many ways these days. Fun factoid – the Australian crest has an emu and kangaroo on it, because neither animal can move backwards and our federation fathers wanted it to be a country intent on “moving forwards”. I’m sure they’re turning in their graves.
I’m from Adelaide & while i know of Ivan Milat and George Savvas of course, I didn’t know anything about Maitland Gaol. How fascinating & that’s interesting that you can visit on a tour as well or even stay for the night?! I will have to think about at least 1 of those options!
Yeah they’ve done well with making it accessible for everyone of different ages and… well levels of nerve, haha.
Very spooky! I bet there are some serious conspiracy theories behind his death…? II’m probably on the East Coast (well, I am now… but further north I guess) in February.. I will have to check this out!…… but not for a night tour. No. No way. 😉
I’m sure there were – it’s all very suspect! It’s worth coming to Newcastle if you’re heading east side and the Gaol isn’t too far away from it.
What a cool place to visit. That would be interesting to be able to stay the night there. I haven’t seen a place like that before.
I’m sure there’s a few of them littered around the world!
What a creepy experience it must have been! Sounds very interesting, though. I didn’t know that same sex marriage is still not legal in Australia…I hope they change that soon 🙂
Yeah me too, I’m really ashamed of that fact. That and our stupidly slow internet puts us very far behind other developed countries.
I’ve never heard of this before, but it sounds so creepy! Like omg…you had me at the opening line. Cool to hear a bit of the history surrounding this site!
Super creepy! I nearly peed my pants.
I t looks so modern to say it was built in 1848!! I have visited a few prisons in the past so if I was in the area I would visit this one. It would be interesting to get a tour from an old prison guard, am sure they would have lots of stories to tell!!
Ah, the first block was built in the 1840s and other blocks added after, but conditions were apparently pretty rough even in the 1990s… fantastic piece of local history. I’d love to go to one of those tours, too!
This was in interesting read…I can read posts on jails…but I dont like to go on a tour that takes me there. It makes me feel depressed. I saw on in Bolivia, but again, only from the outside. Thanks for sharing the interesting stories here.
I have never visited an ex prison before but I can see why the place was terrifying. If you choose to spend the night there do you actually sleep in the same cells? Alone? I guess it would be an interesting trip for a ghost hunting experience.
You book as a group and sleep in an entire wing together. Had a chance to do it when I was 17, but didn’t… slight regret now!
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