Darlinghurst Goal Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
By steptoe on 05-Jun-12. Waypoint GA4403

Come and have a look around the old sandstone Goal

Darlinghurst Goal's perimeter walls were built between 1822 and 1824 sing convict labour with locally quarried sandstone (from Barcom Glen). Lack of funds (still the same old story) meant that the actual buildings were not started until 1836. The design was based on the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.

By 1841, the GOverners building, a male and a female cell block were the only three buildings - complete with a tunnel into the adjacent Darlinghurst Courthouse (completed 1844).June 1841 saw the first 119 male and 50 female prisoners arriving manacled and chained via the Domain from the old George St Goal. They were jeered and pelted with rotten fruit along the way.

The first public hanging here occured 29 October 1841, the last on 29 October 1907. 74 others ocured in between. Among those executed was the bushranger Captain Moonlite.

Eventually there were seven two storey cell wings in a radial design with a central tower, a chapel of circular design.

In 1912, Long bay was established and all prisoners were moved there. The site was used as a military detention camp during WWI, and in 1921-22 it was converted to become a Technical College. The National Art School moved from Sydney Tech at Ultimo, and has been here ever since. In 1996 the college split from TAFE to become an independent entity as a part of the NSW Dept of Education and Training.

To claim a find, get two pics.

One to include the original chapel in the cente, and one showing something interesting about the place. Over the years, we will get lots of (hopefully) interesting views of this grand old collection of buildings.

The gates are closed overnight, but open during the day and you are wlecome to enter the area and look around. The entry in Forbes St has a reception desk where brochures about the goal and the Art College etc can be obtained. There is also an entry in Burton St.

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