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Gaols, Cells & Police Lock-ups - Victoria

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Gaols, Cells & Police Lock-ups - Victoria

Discover Gaols, cells, and lock-ups in every corner of our state. Learn about our penal history.

20+ years of research and day trips has helped me to find over 200 sites in Victoria alone. Many of these buildings are in very poor condition, and the majority of them have been sadly, neglected. That is why it is so important that more people take an interest in our Policing history and heritage, to preserve these fabulous buildings with many stories to tell - for future generations.

03/11/2026

While out and about in the last couple of weeks, I also checked in on the the two cells that live in Edenhope. A pretty town which is home to the huge Lake Wallace, it's approx 4.5 hours from Melbourne, and about 30 minutes from the SA border.
I remember talking to an older lady at the Historical Society way back in about 2012, on how they rescued, and transported the cells from a Melbourne station - thats was planning on destroying them.
One of the cells has even been converted to a toilet stall.
Note the roof is on the wrong way on the unaltered cell.

31/10/2026

In honour of Halloween I thought I would post my favourite scary and Spooky cell out of all of the sites I have visited.
Hands down the prize goes to 🎃 Wycheproof 👻
I've only photographed the cell once, way back in 2010. Located about 3 hours North West of Melbourne, it is located on the grounds of the Willandra museum.
Wycheproof is dangerously close to my favourite vanilla slice at Sharp's Bakery in the neighbouring town of Birchip.
Not a bad excuse for a revisit...

25/10/2026

I'm still hunting for answers in Camperdown!

While I found the lovely 1900s Winchelsea police station, the Camperdown gaol site remains a mystery. It operated from 1863-1878, but there's not even a plaque to mark the spot today, which for a town happy to celebrate its other heritage buildings I find bizarre!

Does anyone in the community or the greater Corangamite Shire know exactly where it stood? The lady in the Visitor Info Centre couldnt even shed any light on it.
I'd love to solve this one for my records!

23/10/2026

Home from my whirlwind trip. 2000kms in 2.5 days. Not bad. Plus I managed to see almost all of the 40 sites on my list. Very happy with that!
Today's highlight was Charlton, which is an hour or so north of Bendigo. The court house here - with the most street appeal I've seen in a long time, dates to 1883. Functioning as a court of petty sessions, decommissioned in 1982. The adjacent property was the police residence, & to its right, the operational station. Sadly, the portable is no longer on site - but on the plus side - it still exists! Rebuilt and restored, it lives along side the cell in neighbouring town Donald.

22/10/2026

One of today's highlights, in Loxton, South Aus.
Approx 7 hrs from Melb, Loxton has a great Heritage Village - think Sovereign Hill, but smaller.
This has been on my 'to do' list for a number of years as I knew they housed the Alawoona police station cell (tiny town about 20 minutes away).
Inside the cell was police memorabilia, plus a detailed history of Loxton's own policing history.
There were also a couple of folders detailing other Riverland stations - a great idea.

21/10/2026

One of the discoveries from today's travels: Koondrook.
Timber town established in the late 1870s, about 3.5hrs from Melb. The portable was located at the police station address, but when it when it was upgraded, the historical society rescued it and restored it. Now located at their hall, across from the Murray River

20/10/2026

Back in Victoria now, at Goroke. Approx 4 hours from Melbourne. The site of the first station, c1888 is marked with an info board - which is always nice to see. Few and far between these days.
Just next door is the current station, which backs onto a larger block which is referred to on the info board, in Barrack Street as the stations second address. Where the rear of these two properties meet, sits the portable lock up. Closest photo I could get I'm afraid.
Next onto Harrow, a revisit after some 15 years or so.
The log gaol is looking as solid as ever, dated to the 1860s. There is also an old police station, office, and lock up (more photos of this site to come later)
The original station here dates to the early 1850s. While the current building had extensions and changes over the years, there is also a new operational station just next door.

19/10/2026

Frances. SA is a tiny town not far from Naracoorte. The police station here dates back to the mid 1880s after the town was gazetted in 1871.This particular station has proved difficult to trace decent records of. I've only been able to find that it was operational up until the mid 1950s, and then sold off in the mid 1970s. Bonus here though was one of those wacky, South Australian style iron lock ups.
Penola, South Australia is about 15 minutes from the Vic border, and just short of 5 hours from Melbourne.
The first station here was built in 1855. & by all accounts, an impressive stone building with adjoining cell block. Sadly, demolished in the 1930s. The second station, in the main street of town, situated next to the 2 storey National bank building. Another building of interest in town is a cottage named "Glenrowan". For a number of years it was the home to Benjamin Pickworth Hunt and his family, an Inspector in the South Aus police. He had quite a decorated career, and is believed to be the longest serving member of their force. Was the property named in connection to the builder having worked in the goldfields - which wasn't uncommon, or did Inspector Hunt have a connection to Ned or the goldfields in some way?

18/10/2026

Bordertown is roughly a 5 hour drive from Melbourne. To save South Australia from financial ruin, in 1852 then police commissioner Alexander Tolmer pioneered the shorter and safer route from Adelaide to the Victorian goldfields.
Bordertown was deemed the midway point of the journey, and where a police camp was established in 1853.
The present day police hub is near to where the station operated from between 1860 -1934. Across the road, the 1930s station facade was incorporated into the bakery, with the famous cells-turned-toilet block still out the back. It had been over 20 years since I last photographed the site.
Between Feb 1852 and Dec 1853, 18 successful gold es**rt trips were conducted, delivering over 3 million dollars worth of gold safely back to Adelaide.

14/06/2026

Eddington VIC
This police complex had been a bit of an illusive one. A bit off the beaten track, so it had to wait until I had a couple of sites in the area to make it worth my while.
There is record of a Police presence here since 1885, in which what is now named "Loddon View", was used as the residence for the Constable. A purpose built building for police did not come until 1873.
The 1930 police gazette notes that Eddington had a population of 1000, manned by one Constable, with bicycle!
The complex consisted of a 5 room police station (weatherboard), stables with two stalls, police office (within residence), shed, well for underground water storage, & a single lock up cell.
As the population dwindled, so did the need for police in this location - so the station closed in 1934.
Today the property is privately owned, with the house in average condition, and the cell, with new tin roof, in better condition.
Unfortunately, it was pretty much impossible to take a decent photo, unless I was paddling up the river!
Thanks go to a neighbour who confirmed I had in fact found the stations correct address - to the average passer by, it just looks like typical farm buildings.
Eddington today has a a population of about 100.
This could possibly be, the most intact regional police complex still standing.
Would be terrific to see it fully restored.

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