Fannie Bay Gaol in Fannie Bay, Australia

For nearly a century, Fannie Bay Gaol was the Northern Territory of Australia’s principal prison, confining a range of prisoners from cattle rustlers and opium traffickers to political prisoners and condemned murderers. It was opened as Her Majesty’s Gaol and Labour Prison in 1883 and remained in use until 1979. This made it one of Australia’s longest operating frontier prisons.

The building which has seen various additions and modifications over the years is constructed from a mix of stone, timber, corrugated iron and concrete structures. It is evident that Darwin’s tropical climate conditions and limited resources has shaped the development of the prison.

Fannie Bay Gaol’s most notorious features are its gallows. It is here where the last hangings were carried out in the Northern Territory in 1952 and the execution facilities have been preserved and are still on the site. The site now functions as a museum, offering an unusually complete glimpse into the history of punishment, colonial justice and daily prison life in Australia’s tropical north.