12 hours ago
Old Parramatta Gaol could be major tourist spot if development concerns addressed, advocates say
Steven Knight remembers his tiny cell, the "yuck" food, and a NAIDOC Week painting he worked on at Old Parramatta Gaol.
He was 25 when he served time and said there were a "lot of good people" but "a lot of bad people" inside too.
"A lot of people trying to do bad things to themselves. That's no good. Lot of fights," Mr Knight said.
A quarter of a century after his release, he still visits the jail in North Parramatta — not just as an ex-inmate but also as one of its owners as a member of the Deerrubbin Land Council.
Old Parramatta Gaol opened in 1842 as a final bid to build a jail in Sydney's west, after previous attempts were either burnt down or poorly constructed.
It would eventually become the state's principal manufacturing jail, with prisoners making and supplying clothing, boots, food, and other products across New South Wales.
The medium-security facility housed thousands of prisoners over its operation, incarcerating infamous criminals such as prison escapee Darcy Dugan and underworld figure Neddy Smith.
In 2011, the state government decommissioned the jail after changes to bail laws lowered prison population demands.
Five years later, Deerrubbin Land Council won it back in a successful land claim and has owned the jail ever since.
Yet, as nearly a decade has passed by, the land council has been put into administration.
Heritage advocates have raised questions on how the jail can be used in the future, as the area around it continues to grow.
Currently, if a land council wins a claim, they may be eligible for transitional funding under the state's Environment Protection Authority, which can ease the immediate costs.
However, in 2015, transitional funding was not an option, with the Deerrubbin Land Council having to fund any fixes to Old Parramatta Gaol itself.
"The significant pieces of land are returned to us with a range of refurbishment needs … the dollars needed to remedy lots of that are enormous," co-chair of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWLAC) Ray Kelly said.
Maintenance costs take a financial toll on local land councils, with sites often being handed back in disrepair.
Mr Kelly said historical sites were often given back with contamination problems like asbestos or hazardous waste, as well as annual upkeep payments.
In 2021, the land council lodged a development application to Parramatta City Council to host music festivals, markets, educational seminars and weddings.
However, the application was rejected due to planning policy noncompliance and concerns surrounding heritage impacts and transport accessibility.
"There are challenges such as the legacy issues pertaining to a correctional centre with a very specific use and the size and composition of the site that requires extensive remediation, planning and also funding to optimise and activate," Tim Gumbleton, administrator of Deerubbin Land Council said.
The land council's administration status presents another barrier to development; however, Mr Gumbleton said it would not impede the vision for the jail's future.
"Across NSW, local Aboriginal land councils continue to be major landholders, developers, employers, and economic contributors," he said.
"That includes this site, which remains of significant cultural, commercial and economic importance to both the Aboriginal community and the broader public."
An option to help with hefty costs could be turning the jail into a tourist attraction.
Cheryl Bates, spokesperson for the Parramatta region at National Trust Australia, said it would be "foolish" not to utilise its tourism potential.
"We can't just have buildings sitting idle without any purpose … I think we've got a really good opportunity to do something with the jail," Ms Bates said.
"The state government has put in a light rail, which is only a block from [the jail], so would be accessible by public transport."
She also pointed out its proximity to other heritage sites like Old Government House and the Parramatta Female Factory.
While a NSW planning department spokesperson said the jail was excluded in the government's rezoning plans, they said the development would benefit the jail in the future.
"By activating underutilised land surrounding the gaol, the NSW government believes this will support opportunities to integrate the Old Parramatta Gaol within the broader Parramatta North precinct while protecting its heritage status," the spokesperson said.
The future of Old Parramatta Gaol remains unclear for now, but the land council has said it was open to working with stakeholders to identify its best use.
"I'd like to clean this place up and then put it back the way it was."
