Too old to be reborn, too rare to die out.
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When it closed in 1998, Maitland Gaol housed a mere 40 or so prisoners – a far cry from the days where hundreds of inmates were packed in, often five to a cell.
By the time it finally shut for good, the gaol had been in the process of closing for “three or four years” according to current co-ordinator Gordon Sauber.
The price of fitting out the comparatively ancient sandstone and concrete behemoth to become a modern correctional facility was a hurdle too great for the old prison to leap.
Few other institutions spanned the decades quite like it, with Maitland’s gaol earning the title of Australia’s longest continuously running prison.
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“It was unique in the way that it kept operating,” Mr Sauber agreed.
“It stood the test of time for a lot of years.”
Appropriately, the facility has a storied, rugged past filled with break-outs and curly criminals.
It’s this long history, as well as the gaol’s role in contemporary Maitland life, that will be on show this Sunday when the gates are thrown open as part of the celebrations commemorating 20 years of closure.
Since it was made non-operational the gaol has been used by a range of community organisations, as well as forming a key piece of Maitland tourism with guided tours and displays.
The Country Woman’s Association, Battle Zone laser tag, the Maitland Music Society and Hunter Valley Bee Keeper’s Association are just some of the groups that currently use the gaol site for various activities.
All the community groups will be there on Sunday, alongside, Mr Sauber hopes, hundreds of Maitland residents.
“From a community perspective, this is a highly important site for Maitland,” Mr Sauber said.
“It’s an icon of the city and it’d be great to see Maitland residents who haven’t necessarily seen it before, or in a long time, come to have a look at it.”
The whole site will be open, meaning visitors can check out areas of the prison that are usually off-limits.
Sunday will also include a packed schedule of kids activities taking place throughout the facility, while three exhibitions will be on show throughout the site. Entry will be a gold coin donation.
