Old Dubbo Gaol

A slower start to the day with no driving until the afternoon, so we headed into town to visit the Old Dubbo Gaol. Some interesting facts about the place:

  • It began as a courthouse lockup in 1847, one of the first government buildings in Dubbo, and was proclaimed an official gaol in 1859. The complex kept growing in stages right through to the 1940s.
  • It closed as a working gaol in 1966 and reopened as a tourist attraction in 1974. It is now heritage listed.
  • The main cell block has 12 ordinary cells plus two solitary confinement cells, a padded cell and a condemned cell. A set of gallows has been re-erected in the yard.
  • The scaffold is a free-standing, demountable design that is thought to be unique in Australia.
  • The most notorious execution was Jackie Underwood, hanged here in 1901 for his part in the Breelong Incident near Gilgandra.

What I found interesting was how medieval the punishments seem compared to modern standards, and yet how relatively new the building felt. The plumbing and brickwork belong to a different era entirely to the ideas on display. A gaol that was still locking people up in 1966 sits uncomfortably close to living memory.

Vintage cast iron toilet cisterns mounted on a brick wall at the Old Dubbo Gaol The plumbing that caught my attention: cast iron high-level cisterns with verdigris flush pipes.

Dimly lit cell block corridor at the Old Dubbo Gaol The main cell block corridor.

The padded isolation cell at the Old Dubbo Gaol The padded isolation cell. The scratch marks on the walls speak for themselves.

Restraint equipment on display at the Old Dubbo Gaol Restraint gear on display: straitjacket, mask and shackles.

Ropework display in the Old Dubbo Gaol museum More of the museum collection.

A watchman's tell-tale station by R. Allerding and Son of Sydney A watchman's tell-tale station, made by R. Allerding & Son of Sydney. The night watchman used it to record his rounds.

A boy posing in the stocks at the Old Dubbo Gaol The stocks still get plenty of use.

Dubbo to Boggabri

In the afternoon we pointed the Range Rover north to Boggabri, a small town on the Kamilaroi Highway between Gunnedah and Narrabri, to visit our niece Taylor and her partner Bryce, who recently got engaged. Taylor is Monique's daughter and Craig's step daughter.

Afternoon gathering in the front yard at Taylor and Bryce's place in Boggabri We took over the front yard at Taylor and Bryce's place in Boggabri.

Sunset drinks on the deck, with the Longreach and a camper trailer parked below Sunset on the deck, with the Longreach and the camper trailer parked out the front.

We had dinner at the local pub and a pretty early night.

Swags set up on the back lawn at night Kids overflow accommodation on the back lawn. The pink swag is Zoe's.