Bathurst Correctional Centre: Photos reveal state of prison as audit calls for urgent updates, wing closures

An audit of one of NSW’s biggest male and female prisons has called for sections of the facility to be shut down over concerns inmates are living in conditions that fail basic amenity standards.

An audit has given an insight into conditions behind prison walls at the NSW correctional centre.

The NSW Government is facing calls to urgently address dilapidated conditions in one of the state’s largest and oldest prisons after an independent audit found the facility is putting both inmates and prison guards at risk.

Broken windows, blocked toilets, and graffiti sprawled on walls are among concerns highlighted during an inspection of the Bathurst Correctional Centre which houses about 640 male and female inmates.

The audit report, made public by the Inspector of Custodial Services, has given an insight into the state of century-old sections of the prison – including some dating back to the 1880s.

Issues of concern included “dark and dilapidated” prison wings which are susceptible to extreme temperatures and lack ventilation and natural light.

Parts of the prison lacked showers, while others failed to have reliable hot water. A smoke detection system also failed to work during a fire which broke out at the prison in 2023.

Parts of the prison date back to the 1800s.

Cells at the facility.

Broken and dilapidated windows had not been fixed for 18 months and shower cubicles were found to be unhygienic due to missing tiles and worn out surfaces.

The Inspector of Custodial Services also observed examples of “concerning graffiti” and markings on the walls of holding cells which referred to individuals in custody and named alleged perpetrators of sexual assault and other offences.

The age of infrastructure at the prison presents “a considerable risk to inmate and staff safety”, the audit found, partly due to the design of wings which limits interactions between staff and inmates, hindering the identification of safety concerns in advance of incidents.

A photo taken during the inspection.

The audit has made 42 recommendations to Custodial Services NSW aimed at lifting the standards of the facilities.

The recommendations include refurbishing the minimum security cells and the permanent closure of parts of the oldest sections of the facility.

In a statement, Corrective Service NSW said the department welcomed the findings of the audit.

A holding cell at the prison.

The prison was inspected as part of an independent audit.

“Corrections is carefully considering the recommendations and will issue a formal response to the report in due course,” a spokeswoman said.

Other areas of concern uncovered during the inspection included staff shortages and a high rate of inmate on inmate assaults.

An assessment unit for female inmates was found to only be able to hold up to 10 women at a time and the only outdoor area was a small, covered patio encased in mesh.

The correctional centre was opened in 1888 and has capacity for 780 inmates, operating a main reception and transit hub for Corrective Services NSW between metropolitan Sydney and western NSW.

More than half the inmates at the facility were on remand at the time of the audit – a cohort the audit stated was “more likely to present with challenging behaviour and substance use issues”.