Boggo Road Gaol

Overview

Boggo Road Gaol is a former maximum-security prison in Dutton Park, now preserved as a heritage museum offering guided tours and ghost tours through its historic cellblocks. It is one of the few remaining 19th-century prisons in Australia open to the public.

Highlights

• Ghost tours: Evening ghost tours explore the prison's darker history, including tales of executions and notorious inmates.
• Historical tours: Daytime guided tours explain the daily life of prisoners and the gaol's role in Queensland's justice system.
• Cell blocks: Walk through original cell blocks, exercise yards, and solitary confinement cells.

History

Opened in 1883, Boggo Road Gaol (officially HM Prison, Brisbane) was Queensland's main maximum-security prison for over a century. It housed some of Queensland's most notorious criminals and was the site of 42 executions. The prison closed in 1992 and was heritage-listed.

Visitor Tips

• Tip 1: Ghost tours run on selected evenings — book well in advance as they sell out.
• Tip 2: The gaol is a short walk from the Boggo Road busway station on the South East Busway.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.

Note (2026): Boggo Road Gaol is currently closed to the public pending redevelopment of the adjacent precinct. No confirmed reopening date is available. Check the official website for updates.