Pentridge Prison

Melbourne · Victoria · Australia

Established in 1851 and largely built between 1858 and 1864, Pentridge is the largest prison complex built in Victoria in the 19th century. Until its closure in 1996, Pentridge was Victoria's central prison and the state's best-known and most-used gaol. Most of Victoria's convicted and notorious criminals were held there between 1900 and the 1990s. The aesthetic significance of Pentridge's 19th-century prison buildings comes from their monumental scale and austere classical style, expressing the requirements of containment and order typical of gaol buildings of the 1850s and 1860s. It also stems from the use of ashlar stone, largely quarried on site. Visitors can explore the former prison's B Division and the notorious H Division. It's a place that challenges and confronts, deeply connected to Australia's social and cultural fabric. The stories from this journey are profound, unique, and expose the inner workings of prison punishment.