So having been in Australia for 3 weeks today we went and saw our first prison! We had originally planned to go tomorrow but checking the opening hours it is only open today so we decided to swap the days around then set off for Visitor Information to pick up a map. My original plan had been to walk to Fannie Bay Goal as it didn’t seem to be that far away but I said this to the very helpful lady in visitor information she strongly advised against it as it is really hot today and getting hotter! The forecast was for 31C but it would feel like 41C due to the humidity so we walked round to the bus depot and took public transport, we actually arrived before it was open so we stopped for a Milkshake which was really nice and very refreshing then we went round to the Gaol. Fannie Bay Gaol was opened on 20th September 1883 and with the exception of a period during the war remained in operation until 1st September 1979. It has the dubious notoriety of being the last place in Darwin to carry out an execution. The prison held male, female and juvenile prisoners, originally the females were housed in the Gaoler’s accommodation and were managed by the gaolers wife. In 1928 a female section was constructed with a small garden designed to keep the prisoners busy. There was also a block for children which in the early 1970’s was used for refugees who had arrived by boat. The whole area was expanded in the 50 and 60’s and a laundry was built as the prisoners always had to work for their keep, originally it had been on public works projects such as road building. There were also a couple of cells which were for violent or mentally ill inmates, they were originally padded and had a little yard outside for the inmates to exercise. Originally we thought the cells in the main cell block seemed quite large but then we found out that each contained a minimum of 3 prisoners but probably as many as 5, in addition because this was maximum security the doorways to the cells were very small to avoid inmates escaping when a guard entered which was strange really as after one of the cyclone’s that swept through the area the walls all came down so the inmates continued working at the prison during the day then they were bussed to Darwin and locked up in the police cells overnight, there was also an information board that said at one stage the headcount actually had one too many inmates so it can’t have been too bad inside! From here we went to Burnett house which was part of the Myilly Point precinct which area collection of houses but in the 1930’s for senior public servants and military personnel. It is the only two story house designed by Beni Burnett which is why it named Burnett House. Only four actually remain in the precinct but none of the others are open to the public, the ground floor is actually quite small but this is because it provides shade around the building as the upstairs has a bigger floor plan. The upstairs is really nice, very open with lots of windows that let in the sea breeze and also give fantastic views. After walking round this we headed back to the city and had a late lunch then decided that it is so hot we would head back to the apartment and go for a swim to cool down which is exactly what we did, it is only a small pool but it was nice and refreshing so we dried off reading our books then went back to the room for something to eat and to prepare for tomorrow!
