Corrective Services looking for more beds in Townsville

More prisoners will be cultivating the Townsville prison farm if department plans for an expansion go ahead.

Prisoners at the Townsville Correctional Centre farm manage Droughtmaster cattle, pigs, hydroponic farming, a plant nursery and undertake machinery courses. Picture: Alix Sweeney

The Townsville Correctional facility is looking to build more beds at its 1400 hectare farm.

The department is looking for tenders to build demountable accommodation for 13 new beds on the low security men’s farm, which currently has 78 beds.

Prisoners are accommodated on the farm all year round, where they manage 170 head of Droughtmaster cattle, 20 pigs, hydroponic farming, a plant nursery and undertake machinery courses.

“The courses equip the prisoners with skills that improve the chances of them successfully reintegrating into the community and can help break the cycle of offending,” a Queensland Corrective Services spokeswoman said.

On weekdays suitable prisoners go on community service projects and the remainder attend to general farm duties.

Townsville Correctional Centre is a high security men’s facility and the adjoining farm is low security. Picture: Evan Morgan

The farm is the base headquarters for regional work camps in Boulia, Julia Creek and Winton.

Tenders for the demountable close on August 2.

Townsville prison farm assistant farm supervisor Jack McIntosh shows off a loaf of bread made at the prison, at a stand at an agricultural show in 1980. Picture: Townsville Bulletin

The farm expansion is a separate venture to the $20m plan in the state budget to expand the Townsville Correctional Centre.

Sources previously suggested to the Bulletin that the expansion could be for 500 additional beds.

On Tuesday the prison was about 78 per cent full, with 714 male and 200 female prisoners.

Prison sources have repeatedly voiced concerns about understaffing and overcrowding at the facility during the past 12 months. However, the department repeatedly said the complex was fully staffed.

Townsville Correctional Centre was about 78 per cent full on Tuesday, with 714 male and 200 female prisoners. Picture: Evan Morgan

A Department spokeswoman said in the past 12 months, 69 custodial correctional officers had joined Townsville Correctional Centre and 51 had left, the spokeswoman said.

“Queensland Corrective Services has an ongoing recruitment program under way with advertising in regions around the state,” the spokeswoman said.

Notable escapes from the prison in recent times include two women who absconded on December 25, 2022. One woman was found two weeks later, but the other evaded authorities for 10 weeks and was recaptured in Townsville.

Originally published as Corrective Services looking for more beds in Townsville