text: fremantle prison fremantle prison , sometimes referred to as fremantle gaol or fremantle jail , is a former australian prison in fremantle , western australia . the six - hectare ( 15 - acre ) site includes the prison , gatehouse , perimeter walls , cottages , and tunnels . initially known as the convict establishment or the establishment , it was constructed as a prison for convicts , using convict labour , between 1851 and 1859 . the prison was transferred to the colonial government in 1886 for use for locally - sentenced prisoners . royal commissions were held in 1898 and 1911 , and instigated some reform to the prison system , but significant changes did not begin until the 1960s . the government department in charge of the prison underwent several reorganisations in the 1970s and 1980s , but the culture of fremantle prison was resistant to change . growing prisoner discontent culminated in a 1988 riot with guards taken hostage , and a fire that caused $ 1 . 8 million worth of damage . the prison closed in 1991 , replaced by the new maximum - security casuarina prison . the prison was administered by a comptroller general , sheriff , or director , responsible for the entire convict or prison system in western australia , and a superintendent in charge of the prison itself . prison officers , known as warders in the 19th century , worked under stringent conditions until they achieved representation through the western australian prison officers ' union . convicts were initially of good character as potential future colonists , but less desirable convicts were eventually sent . as a locally - run prison , fremantle 's population was generally short - sentenced white prisoners in the 1890s , with very few aboriginal prisoners . by the late 20th century , most prisoners were serving longer sentences , a higher proportion of them were violent , and aboriginal people were over - represented . prison life at fremantle was highly regulated . meals were an important part of the day , eaten in the cells throughout the operational life of the prison . convict or prisoner labour was used on public infrastructure works until around 1911 ; subsequently , only work inside the prison was allowed , though there was never enough to fully occupy the inmates . punishments varied over the years , with flogging and time in irons eventually replaced by lengthening of sentences and deprivation of visitors or entertainment . more than 40 hangings were carried out at fremantle prison , which was western australia 's only lawful place of execution , between 1888 and 1984 . prominent escapees included moondyne joe , as well as john boyle o 'reilly and six other fenians in the 19th century , and brenden abbott in 1989 . there have been various riots and other disturbances , with major riots causing damage in 1968 and 1988 . since 1991 , fremantle prison has been conserved as a recognised heritage site , and various restoration works have been undertaken . new uses have been found for some buildings within the prison , which has also become a significant tourist attraction . the process of obtaining world heritage listing as part of the australian convict sites submission focused historical interpretation and conservation efforts on the prison 's convict era ( 1850 – 1886 ) , at the expense of its more recent history , including aboriginal prisoners held there . architecture layout fremantle prison was built on a land grant of about 36 acres ( 15 ha ) from limestone quarried on - site . a 15 - foot ( 4 . 6 m ) tall boundary wall encloses the prison grounds , with a gatehouse in the centre of the western wall , facing the terrace . other roads bounding the site are knutsford street to the north , hampton road to the east , and fothergill street to the south . cottages , which housed prison workers and officials , are located outside the wall either side of the gatehouse . inside the walls , the parade ground is located east of the gatehouse . beyond it is the main cell block at the centre of the site , which contains two chapels . north of the main block is new division , and west of that , in the north - western corner , is the former women 's prison , previously the cookhouse , bakehouse and laundry . the hospital building stands in the north - eastern corner , while the former workshops are located in the south - eastern corner , as well as to the north of the gatehouse . a system of underground tunnels , constructed to provide fresh water from an aquifer , runs under the eastern edge of the site . buildings houses on the terrace north of the gatehouse , located at 2 , 4 , and 6 the terrace , are cottages built in victorian style , in contrast to the georgian style of the other houses . number 10 is a double - storey house , initially built in 1853 for the chaplain , but taken over by the superintendent in 1878 and later used by the prison administration . an adjoining single - storey at number 12 , finished in 1854 , was the home of the gatekeeper , located on the north side of the gatehouse . number 16 the terrace , south of the gatehouse , is a double - storey house that accommodated first the superintendent , and later the resident magistrate . it remained in use as housing for prison officers until the 1970s . number 18 , the southernmost house on the terrace , and number 8 , the northernmost of the initial buildings , both featured two sitting rooms , three bedrooms , and two dressing rooms , as well as a kitchen , water closet and shed , but with mirrored layouts . number 18 was expanded with additions built in the 1890s . gatehouse the gatehouse and associated entry complex was constructed between 1854 and 1855 using convict labour . it was designed by royal engineer and comptroller general edmund henderson , and constructed out of limestone . the gatehouse has two towers either side of a narrow gate , reminiscent of those found in 13th century english castles or walled cities . iron that had been scavenged from shipwrecks was used to make the gate , while the clock at the top of the structure was imported from england . as the main entrance , the gatehouse has remained a significant feature and landmark ; since the closure of the prison , it has housed a café and office areas . restoration was carried out in 2005 , preserving the original stone facade and removing non - original rendering . main cell block little - changed since its construction in the 1850s by convicts , the main cell block was designed to hold up to 1000 prisoners . the central , four - storey high cell block is flanked on either end by large dormitory wards , called the association rooms . here , as many as 80 men slept in hammocks , either as a reward for good behaviour or because they would soon receive their ticket of leave . in contrast , the cramped cells measured just seven by four feet ( 2 . 1 by 1 . 2 m ) . although each cell initially had a basin connected to running water , the installation was before the advent of s - bends ; the smells coming up the pipes led to their removal by the 1860s . following a royal commission , the cells were enlarged by removing a dividing wall from between two cells . electric lighting was installed in the 1920s , but there were never any toilets – buckets were used for the duration of the prison 's operation . since the prison 's closure , six cells have been restored to represent the varying living conditions at different times in the prison 's history . the main block also houses the gallows , solitary confinement cells , and two chapels – anglican and catholic . new division fremantle prison 's new division building was constructed between 1904 and 1907 , as a response to overcrowding . it also allowed prison administrators to implement the " separate system " , whereby prisoners were completely isolated for the first three months of their sentence . a panopticon in the exercise yard was initially used to facilitate this concept during the prisoners ' hour of exercise each day . the system was not successful , and considered a dated prisoner management strategy , leading to its removal within five years . new division was the first building to have electricity , with underground wiring . during world war ii , the australian army appropriated the division , to keep their prisoners separate from the main population . in 1994 the building was retrofitted to cater for offices , small business premises , and meeting rooms . women 's prison the north - western complex was originally a service area with a cookhouse , bakehouse and laundry , built in the 1850s . a place for women prisoners was needed following the closure of perth gaol and the transfer of prisoners to fremantle . the buildings were converted to a prison , and a wall built around them , creating western australia 's first separate prison for women . population and crime growth led to them being extended in the 1890s and 1910s . the construction of bandyup women 's prison saw fremantle 's women 's prison close in 1970 , with the space used for education and assessment until the main prison 's closure in 1991 . hospital built between 1857 and 1859 , the hospital was a crucial component of fremantle prison . public works during the convict era relied on convict labour , which could only be provided if the convicts were healthy . from 1886 to 1903 , medical services were relocated to the main cell block , with the former building used to keep invalids and female prisoners . the hospital was refurbished and reopened in 1904 . it subsequently remained in continuous operation until the prison 's closure in 1991 . workshops the original workshop was a blacksmith 's shop , one of the first buildings to be constructed on the prison site . later known as the east workshops , other workshops included carpenter 's , plumber 's and painter 's , a printing office , and from the 1850s , a metal shop . the west workshops were built at the start of the twentieth century , providing more work for prisoners through a paint shop , mat maker , shoe maker , book binder and tailor shop . in 1993 the four northern workshops were adapted for use as tafe art workshops . tunnels in the 1850s , shafts were sunk into the limestone bedrock to provide the prison with fresh water from an aquifer , and a tank was installed in 1874 to offer the town of fremantle an alternative water supply . prisoners worked a pump to fill the tank , which was connected to the jetties through gravity - fed pipes . in 1896 , a town reservoir was constructed on swanbourne street , fed from the prison by a triple - expansion steam - driven pump that could take more than 4 . 5 megalitres ( 1 , 000 , 000 imperial gallons ) per day from the prison tunnels . prisoners , relieved of manual pumping , were employed to supply wood and stoke boilers . the tunnels were closed in 1910 , though the groundwater continued to be used for the prison 's gardens . in 1989 , oil leaking from nearby tanks contaminated the water ; however , the pollution was cleared by 1996 through bioremediation . the tunnels were re - opened in mid - 2005 , and had been refurbished within a year to improve the experience for visitors . history 19th century while the swan river colony was established as a " free settlement " ( unlike the penal colonies on the east coast ) , by the 1840s demand for cheap labour overcame an early reluctance , and the colony agreed to accept some convicts from britain . the arrival of the first convict ship scindian on 2 june 1850 was unexpected , as a sailing ship that had been sent ahead had been blown off - course . the colony 's round house jail was full , so the 75 convicts had to be left on the ship until a temporary prison was built . comptroller general of convicts edward henderson looked for a place to build a permanent convict establishment , and ultimately settled on the current site , on a hill overlooking fremantle . the design for fremantle prison was based on the pentonville prison in britain , but with diagonal cell blocks replaced with a four - storey linear structure , which would be the longest , tallest prison cell block in the southern hemisphere . construction began in 1851 , and work rapidly progressed following the arrival of the royal engineers later that year . they trained convicts to work with limestone , which was quarried on - site . the first priority was the construction of accommodation for henderson and the prison warders , to relieve the expense of paying for private lodging . the prison walls were constructed between 1853 and 1855 , while the gatehouse and associated entry complex was built in 1854 and 1855 . construction of the southern half of the main cell block began in 1853 and was finished in 1855 , with prisoners transferred from the temporary prison on 1 june 1855 . construction of the northern wing followed . the crimean war saw the royal engineers recalled , leaving only one of their number , henry wray , to oversee the building 's construction , which was completed by the end of 1859 . during western australia 's convict era , the prison was known as the convict establishment , and was used for prisoners transported from britain . longer term locally - sentenced prisoners were also held there from 1858 , at a cost to the colonial government . in 1868 , penal transportation to western australia ceased , and the number of convicts in the colony gradually declined , down to 83 in the mid - 1880s . due to the great expense of sending these convicts back to britain , the authorities there negotiated with the colonial government to relinquish jurisdiction over them , as well as the prison complex – demolition was considered too expensive . early negotiations had broken down , but were restarted in august 1883 . after one and a half years , a compromise was reached , and the transfer was finalised on 31 march 1886 . once the prison came under the control of the colonial government , it was renamed fremantle prison . all prisoners in perth gaol were transferred to fremantle , and from 1887 female prisoners were also imprisoned there , in their own separate section . the western australian gold rushes of the 1890s resulted in strong economic growth , and a massive increase in population : doubling from almost 50 , 000 in 1891 to more than 100 , 000 by 1895 , and to 184 , 000 by 1901 . this influx included desperate , dishonest people , from elsewhere in australia and overseas , and fremantle prison was soon overcrowded . the 1890s also saw a growing public unease with the treatment of prisoners . in september 1898 a royal commission was established by the governor of western australia to investigate the colony 's penal system . the commission heard evidence from almost 240 witnesses , including a range of prisoners . three reports were made between december 1898 and june 1899 , dealing with the most recognisable and prominent issues including classification , sentencing , punishments , and diet . in particular , they considered the philosophy of the prison system – the causes of crime , as well as the types of punishments and their justifications – and in light of this , the practicality of various reform proposals . early 20th century within a year of the enquiry , almost 100 cells had been enlarged by knocking down the inner wall between two cells , and a classification system was introduced . internal walls were constructed in the main block , creating four separate divisions . following the urgings of the prison superintendent george and various official enquiries , new workshops were built to provide increased useful employment for prisoners . five spaces were designed for tailors , bookbinders , shoemakers , mat makers and painters . new regulations for prison officers were published in the government gazette in 1902 , and a new prisons act was passed in 1903 . while in theory the passing of the act should have resulted in significant prison reform , this did not eventuate . the legislation left much of the changes to executive regulation , at the discretion of the governor , and was described by the media as a feeble document . new division , completed in 1907 and occupied in 1908 , resulted from the 1899 commissioners ' report recommending a modified version of the separate system . the new division was similar in design to henderson 's 1850s structure , but was constructed in an l - shape , was only three stories tall , and had electric lighting . it also differed in its use from the main cell block . unlike occupants of the earlier building , prisoners remained continuously in their cells except when exercising in separate yards , watched panopticon - style by a warder in a central tower . in 1911 another royal commission investigation into fremantle prison recommended closing the facility . its report was ignored by the state government , which was more concerned with building infrastructure such as roads and schools than the plight of its prisoners . however , there was a rapid change in prison policy , with the appointment of a superintendent , hugh hann , who had recent english and colonial experience , and the election of a labor government with members interested in penal reform . one immediate result was the dismantling of the separate system at fremantle prison and the demolition of the separate exercise yards in 1912 . fremantle prison was partially used as a military prison during both world wars – for the detention of military personnel , as well as an internment centre . from 1940 until 1946 , it was one of more than 50 military prisons across australia holding a combined total of more than 12 , 000 enemy aliens and prisoners of war . fremantle accommodated up to 400 military prisoners and up to 160 civilian prisoners by october 1945 . the world war ii takeover necessitated the commissioning of barton 's mill prison in 1942 . 20th century reform prison outstations were established as part of the reforms in the 20th century , and to reduce the overcrowding at fremantle . pardelup prison farm opened in 1927 , near mount barker , while barton 's mill , though planned to be a temporary measure , remained open as a prison after world war ii . significant reform to western australia 's prison system did not begin until the 1960s , lagging behind those which occurred elsewhere in australia and the world after world war ii . seven new prisons were opened between 1960 and 1971 , and in 1970 , female prisoners and staff were moved from fremantle to the new bandyup women 's prison . new legislation regarding probation , parole , and convicted drunkards was also introduced , which provided alternatives to imprisonment . with these new arrangements , and more variety in prisons and prison types , a classification board was set up in 1963 to assess prisoners . the appointment of colin campbell as comptroller general in 1966 fostered substantial changes within fremantle prison itself . one of his first changes was to clear the classification committee 's backlog of prisoners awaiting assessment . campbell also established an officer training school , as well as an assessment centre to evaluate new prisoners . work release and community service programs were also introduced , along with training programs , social workers and welfare officers . within the midst of campbell 's reforms , the prisons department was renamed the department of corrections in 1971 , restructured , and the position of comptroller general was replaced with director of the department . in 1972 a royal commission was appointed to investigate mistreatment of and discrimination against aboriginal prisoners . its 1973 report found that there was not " any appreciable discrimination " , however , racial stereotypes are present throughout the report , and the testimony of aboriginal prisoners was considered unreliable . the report also made recommendations regarding various aspects of prison life , including additional , independent , trained welfare officers . william kidston succeeded campbell in 1977 , and oversaw a shift in policy from " paternalistic rehabilitation " of prisoners to merely providing opportunities for rehabilitation . a new prisons act was passed in 1981 , which updated the 1903 act with modern philosophies and practices . this act was , however , slanted towards prisoner management and safety , and the department was at the same time renamed the prisons department once more , to emphasise imprisonment as its primary responsibility . ian hill became director of the prisons department in 1983 , and reorganised the department several times , striving for increased efficiency . whilst the changes of the 1980s were effective throughout most of western australia 's prison system , the culture of fremantle prison was resistant to change . growing prisoner discontent eventually culminated in the 1988 prison riot , investigated by an official enquiry later that year . closure and subsequent use the state government made the decision to decommission fremantle prison in 1983 , but it remained in operation until 30 november 1991 . prisoners were moved to a new metropolitan maximum security prison at casuarina . there were divergent views in the community over the site 's future , whether it should be preserved or redeveloped . the ultimate decision was for conservation of the prison , but allowing for the buildings to be adapted for reuse by the community . the fremantle prison trust was established in 1992 to advise the minister for works on the management of the site . various new uses were found for different parts of the prison , including wedding services in the chapels , the coastal business centre in new division , and the fremantle children 's literature centre in the hospital ; the prison also became a tourist attraction . a private company , the fremantle prison guardians , organised the tourist operation for ten years under contract , until the end of 2001 ; subsequently , the state government took control . a hostel providing short - stay accommodation in the women 's prison opened in may 2015 . staff and prisoners administration western australia 's first comptroller general of convicts , edmund henderson , administered the convict establishment for thirteen years . the primary responsibilities of the comptroller general were to " direct convict labour and be responsible for convict discipline " . with the transfer of fremantle prison to the colonial government in 1886 , the role of the comptroller was replaced by that of the sheriff , responsible for all of the prisons in the colony . the position of comptroller general was recreated , with duties split off from the sheriff 's office , in early 1911 . in 1971 , the prisons department was renamed the department of corrections , restructured , and the position of comptroller general was replaced with director of the department . while the comptroller , sheriff , or director was responsible for the overall convict or prison system , largely centred around fremantle prison , the responsibility of the prison itself lay with the superintendent . officers on convict ships , the convicts were guarded by pensioner guards , who were soldiers awarded pensions for their service in areas such as china , crimea , and afghanistan . some remained in the military , but many opted to stay in the colony as settlers , having brought their wives and children with them . the pensioner guards were expected to help deal with any incidents of unrest at the prison . fremantle prison 's officers were known as warders until the early 20th century . they lived in specially built terrace houses within walking distance of the prison , and their lives were just as regimented as the prisoners . in the 1890s warders still had stringent living and working conditions , including ten- to twelve - hour working days . due to a high turnover rate , many had little knowledge of either official policies or unofficial rules and traditions . the warder 's role , previously unwritten , only became clearly defined in 1902 . as well as guarding against escapes and enforcing discipline , they oversaw prisoner work and instructed inmates in trades . the warders were also supposed to be moral role models for prisoners , while maintaining a formal , distant , relationship . the prison officer 's role in the 20th century did not change much , with the job still entailing a boredom - inducing daily routine focused on security . officer training became a priority under campbell 's administration , from the late 1960s . training courses were set up for staff inductions and promotions , and seminars were started for senior officers . the most significant change in this period , however , was that prison officers achieved representation through the western australian prison officers ' union . the strength of the union was based on the ability to almost cripple the prison system through strike action , first taken in 1975 . prisoners convicts were introduced into western australia for three main purposes : inexpensive labour , additional labour , and an injection of british government spending into the local economy . during the initial years of transportation , convicts were generally young , from a rural background , and of good character , having only committed minor offences – potential future colonists , after their sentence had been served . by the 1860s the majority were older , more serious offenders from urban areas , including political prisoners considered to be " difficult and dangerous " . following the transfer of fremantle prison to local control in 1886 , it became western australia 's primary prison . in the late 1880s and 1890s the number of inmates swelled dramatically . this increase predominantly comprised prisoners serving shorter sentences of under three months . the number of inmates in 1897 was 379 , and inspector of prisons james roe viewed the prison as " inconveniently full " . despite a large expansion of the prison system , the problem of overcrowding remained throughout the 20th century , as did western australia 's high incarceration rate relative to the rest of australia . the nature of prisoners changed , with three times the proportion of 16- to 19 - year - olds in 1984 compared to 1898 , and a growing over - representation of aboriginal prisoners to nearly half the incarcerated population . sentences also increased in length , such that in 1984 more than 80 % of inmates were serving more than a year . in the 1970s and 1980s , there was an increasing number of people committed for violent crimes , but still a minority of the population . both staff and prisoners , however , perceived a notable increase in violence during these years , coinciding with the rise of illegal drugs in prison , and of sentences for drug - related offences . prison operation routine in the convict establishment of 1855 , the day began with the wakeup bell at 4 : 30 am , and the officers and prisoners assembled in the parade ground at 5 : 25 am . prisoners were sent to work before and after breakfast ( in their cells ) , before assembling for muster at midday . this was followed by dinner in the exercise yard or the work site , and more work throughout the afternoon , until supper at 6 : 00 pm in the cells . night officers took over at 7 : 15 pm . the transfer of the convict establishment to the colonially - run fremantle prison saw little change , and no new regulations . a similar routine , but with fewer working hours , is described in the 1930s : the following routine is observed by those who go to fremantle jail : — 6 . 15 am . , warning bell ; prisoners rise and fold beds . 6 . 30 . officers muster and unlock cells . 7 . 0 . [ sic ] breakfast , which lasts 15 minutes , after which men assemble in their respective exercise yards . 7 . 55 , parade for work . 11 . 45 , parade for dinner , after which men are in yard until 1 pm , parade for work ; 4 . 45 parade for tea . 5 . 30 . muster ; all cells , etc . , locked for the night . 7 . 55 . warning bell ; prisoners to bed . 8 . 0 , [ sic ] lights out except as provided for in reformatory regulations . not much had changed by the 1960s . the day began with a waking bell at 6 : 45 am . after a prisoner count , they moved into the yard until 7 : 30 , when they collected breakfast and headed back to their cells . the 8 : 00 bell signaled a parade , and then the start of work , which lasted until 11 : 15 . they ate a meal , locked in their cells until 12 : 20 pm , followed by some time in the yards . at 1 : 00 there was another parade , and another session of work which lasted to 4 : 15 . another meal was collected , and prisoners were locked away in their cells overnight . the lights stayed on until 9 : 30 pm . on the weekends the routine featured no work , and included a film played for the prisoners . diet prisoners ate meals in their cells , from the early years of the prison through to its closure in 1991 . bread from the prison bakehouse was included in every meal in the convict era . it was served with black tea for breakfast , and with either tea or cocoa in the evening . the main meal , called dinner , was in the middle of the day , and also featured soup , meat , and vegetables . by the 1890s food was still very limited in variety , with few vegetables . porridge was given for breakfast , usually too fluid or overly solid , and the general standard of the prison 's food was quite low , particularly in 1897 and 1898 . however , the quality soon improved , as noted by the 1898 royal commission , which recommended decreasing rations to reduce costs . in the 1960s , food preparation was overseen by a qualified chef , who also trained prisoners . the diet consisted of quality food , but " without trimmings " . breakfast was porridge , with a third of a pint of milk , a hot drink ( tea , unless the prisoner bought coffee or cocoa ) , and either vegemite , honey , or margarine , depending on the week . lunch and dinner had more variation . both meals consisted of a meat dish – corned beef , sausages , or mince pie – as well as mashed potato and cabbage , although there was occasionally a roast dinner . meat , vegetables and bread were still a prominent part of the diet in 1991 . labour as well as being used to build the prison itself , convict labour , with convicts in chain gangs , was used for other public works in the fremantle and surrounding perth area , including the causeway , perth town hall and stirling highway . the work undertaken by a convict depended on their behaviour and demeanour . upon arrival to western australia , convicts were kept within the prison for a period of observation . if found to have a reasonable disposition , the convict would be sent to work , in a gang under the control of a warder . typical activities included " quarrying , filling swamps , burning lime , constructing public buildings , roads and jetties " around fremantle and perth . after some time , they might be sent to work on road or other projects away from these main settlements . continued good behaviour could see the convict granted a ticket - of - leave , allowing private employment in a specified district of the colony , and eventually a conditional pardon , allowing most freedoms , except for returning to england . a certificate of freedom would only be granted at the end of a sentence . would result in demotion through these levels of work , including returning to convict status within the prison . re - offenders and captured escapees , after corporal punishment and time in solitary confinement , would be placed on a chain gang undertaking hard labour , typically on roads near fremantle . outside work , mostly on public infrastructure , continued beyond the convict era , but gradually declined due to discipline concerns , the rise of trade unions that saw such work as " a threat to free labour " , and an increasing emphasis on work as rehabilitation rather than punishment . by 1911 outside work had all but ceased , but could not adequately be replaced by employment within the prison walls ; a lack of suitable work plagued the prison throughout its lifetime . work in the 19th century consisted of cooking , washing clothes , cleaning the prison , tailoring , bootmaking , and printing . however , demand exceeded the availability of such work – increasingly so in the later years of the 19th century – so prisoners were also given activities with no practical value other than keeping them occupied . these included breaking stones , operating a water pump , and oakum picking . even with these extra activities , by 1899 , 60 to 70 men were employed at the pump , each doing only a few minutes work per hour , and occupied the rest of the time with recreation such as draughts . new workshops built in 1901 allowed prisoners to work in bootmaking and tailoring , and from 1904 , printing . only a small fraction of prisoners were allocated to the workshops – 35 out of an average of 279 prisoners in 1902 . in 1908 , there were still few men employed in the workshops , 20 in tailoring , 15 in bootmaking , and 12 in mat making , with only half of these working at a time , and little improvement by the 1911 royal commission . the 20th century saw little change in the work prisoners did . there were similar workshops , with the addition of metal work , and similar jobs around the prison complex , including in the laundry , in the kitchen , and cleaning the prison . in 1984 , 90 % of prisoners were reported to be employed , either full - time or part - time . the meaningfulness of the work was nominal , as work was viewed as " a management option rather than [ for ] production " , but security concerns and discipline restricted the rehabilitative value of the work , and limited much of the work to jobs non - existent outside of prison . punishments in the convict era , particularly during hampton 's term as governor , misbehaving prisoners were punished with flogging , solitary confinement , and working in chain gangs at gunpoint . particularly difficult prisoners were put to work hand pumping groundwater into the prison 's reservoir . known as cranking , it was especially despised by the prisoners . staff disliked giving the lashings – in 1851 , out of a total of 400 lashings ordered , 150 were remitted as the superintendent could not find anyone to undertake the task . the role was so disliked that inducements were offered , including extra pay or improved lodgings . by the 1880s , punishments also included a restricted diet of bread and water ( for a short time span ) , time in irons , and a lengthening of a prisoner 's sentence by a visiting magistrate . the cat o ' nine tails , which had been used since the early days of the prison , was abolished during the post - 1911 royal commission reforms . other reforms in this period saw the number of punishments inflicted decrease from 184 in 1913 to 57 in 1914 , and 35 in 1915 . flogging was discontinued in the 1940s , with the last incident occurring in 1943 . from that decade , punishments were decided by the superintendent after hearing the case against a prisoner , or by a magistrate for grievous violations . lesser transgressions could result in solitary confinement , or restriction from visitors , education , and concerts ; serious offences were punishable by the cancellation of any remission earned and a bread - and - water diet , normally over a two - week period . executions as soon as fremantle prison came under local control in 1886 , a refractory block with gallows was planned . it was completed in 1888 , and first used in 1889 to execute a convicted murderer , jimmy long , a malayan . the gallows room was the only lawful place of execution in western australia between 1888 and 1984 . at least 43 men and one woman were hanged in this period . martha rendell was the only woman to be hanged at the prison , in 1909 . the last person to be hanged was serial killer eric edgar cooke , executed in 1964 . from the day of sentencing to death , prisoners were kept in a concrete - floored cell in new division . they were vigilantly observed to prevent them escaping their sentence through suicide . with hangings taking place on monday mornings , at 8 : 00 am , condemned prisoners were woken three hours earlier , and provided with a last meal , shower , and clean clothes . afterwards , handcuffed , they were moved to a holding or " condemned cell " nearby the gallows , and allowed a couple of sips of brandy to calm their nerves . shortly before 8 : 00 am , they were hooded , led up to the execution chamber , which could hold as many as eleven witnesses , stood over the trap door , had a noose put around their neck , and were hanged by dropping through the opening trap door . after medical examination , the deceased was removed for burial . escapes there were a multitude of attempted escapes from fremantle prison . prominent escapees included moondyne joe in 1867 , john boyle o 'reilly in 1869 and six other fenians in 1876 , and brenden abbott in 1989 . moondyne joe joseph bolitho johns , better known as moondyne joe , was western australia 's best known bushranger . in july 1865 , johns was sentenced to ten years penal servitude for killing a steer . he and another prisoner absconded from a work party in early november , and were on the run for nearly a month , during which time johns adopted the nickname moondyne joe . for absconding and for being in possession of a firearm , moondyne joe was sentenced to twelve months in irons , and transferred to fremantle prison . in july 1866 he received a further six months in irons for trying to cut the lock out of his door , but in august moondyne joe succeeded in escaping again . moondyne joe formulated a plan to escape the colony by travelling overland to south australia , but was captured on 29 september about 300 kilometres ( 190 mi ) north - east of perth . as punishment for escaping and for the robberies committed while on the run , moondyne joe received five years hard labour on top of his remaining sentence . extraordinary measures were taken to ensure that he did not escape again . he was transferred to fremantle prison where a special " escape - proof " cell was made for him , built from stone , lined with jarrah sleepers and over 1000 nails . in early 1867 moondyne joe was set to work breaking stone , but rather than permit him to leave the prison , the acting comptroller - general ordered that the stone be brought in and dumped in a corner of the prison yard , where moondyne joe worked under the constant supervision of a warder . governor john hampton was so confident of the arrangements , he was heard to say to moondyne joe : " if you get out again , i 'll forgive you " . however , the rock broken by moondyne joe was not removed regularly , and eventually a pile grew up until it obscured the guard 's view of him below the waist . partially hidden behind the pile of rocks , he occasionally swung his sledgehammer at the limestone wall of the prison . on 7 march 1867 , moondyne joe escaped through a hole he had made in the prison wall . a few days before the second anniversary of his escape , moondyne joe was recaptured , returned to prison , and sentenced to an additional four years in irons . eventually , governor frederick weld heard of his predecessor hampton 's promise , and decided that further punishment would be unfair . moondyne joe was given a ticket of leave in may 1871 . the fenians from 1865 to 1867 , british authorities rounded up supporters of the irish republican brotherhood , or fenians , an irish independence movement , and transported sixty - two of them to western australia . in 1869 , john boyle o 'reilly escaped on the american whaling ship gazelle and settled in boston . later that year , pardons were issued to many of the imprisoned fenians , after which only eight militant fenians remained in western australia 's penal system . the fenians in america bought the whaling ship catalpa , which on 29 april 1875 sailed from new bedford , massachusetts on a secret rescue mission . coordinating with local fenian agents , the escape was arranged for 17 april 1876 , when most of the convict establishment garrison would be watching the royal perth yacht club regatta . catalpa dropped anchor in international waters off rockingham and dispatched a whaleboat to the shore . at 8 . 30 am , six fenians who were working in work parties outside the prison walls absconded , and were met by carriages that raced 50 kilometres ( 31 mi ) south to where the boat was waiting . the whaleboat managed to rendezvous with catalpa the following day , which then headed out to sea . they were chased by the steamship ss georgette , which had been commandeered by the colonial governor . though georgette caught up with the whaler on 19 april , catalpa 's master claimed they were in international waters , and that an attack on catalpa would be considered an act of war against the united states . not wanting to cause a diplomatic incident , georgette allowed catalpa to flee . brenden abbott brenden abbott , " the postcard bandit " , escaped from fremantle prison in 1989 . he had been sentenced to twelve years in prison for " australia 's first ' drop in ' -style bank robbery " at the belmont branch of the commonwealth bank . while working in the prison 's tailor shop , he was able to stitch together overalls resembling those worn by the guards . abbott and two accomplices took the opportunity to escape , wearing the overalls , when left unsupervised in the workshop . they cut through a bar and got onto the roof . one accomplice fell and broke his leg , but abbott and the other managed to jump over to the wall , and thus escape . abbott avoided capture until 1995 , committing various robberies as he moved across australia . he also escaped from a queensland prison after two years and returned to western australia , allegedly robbing the commonwealth bank 's branch . abbott was recaptured in darwin , six months after his escape , and was sent to a queensland maximum - security prison with a twenty year sentence to serve . riots there have been various prisoner riots and other disturbances at fremantle prison over the years that it was operational . one of the earliest was in 1854 , while major riots which occurred in 1968 and 1988 resulted in damage to the prison . 1968 a riot occurred on 4 june 1968 , precipitated by the serving of allegedly contaminated food to prisoners the previous evening . other factors that contributed were the rudimentary and deplorable state of sanitation and personal cleanliness facilities , tougher sentencing introduced with the parole act of 1964 , and the overcrowding . when the work bell was rung at 1 pm , prisoners rebelled ; refusing to go back to work , they assembled themselves in the exercise yards . the prison superintendent mr thorpe negotiated with two deputations of prisoners . as well as better food , they demanded single cells and the dismissal of specific wardens . after approximately three hours , the negotiations broke down , and that night 's evening meal was withheld . that caused the prisoners to riot , breaking fittings ; during the commotion , three prison officers , three prisoners , and a detective sustained injuries . additional police and wardens arrived at 5 pm , but took seven hours to subdue the prisoners , with the last of them locked in their cells just after midnight . the extent of the damage was in the order of $ 200 to $ 300 . to relieve the overcrowding and reduce prisoner agitation , around 60 men who had not taken part in the riot were transferred to prisons at albany , geraldton , , and barton 's mill . however , other improvements could not be undertaken without funding from the state government , which did not consider prison reform a priority . 1988 on 4 january 1988 , despite the 42 ° c ( 108 ° f ) heat , officers decided prisoners should remain outside in the exercise yards in the afternoon . as division 3 prisoners were let inside at around 4 pm , a voice exclaimed " let 's take ' em " , and simultaneously , guards were splashed with boiling water , usually used for making tea . a horde of prisoners stormed the cellblock , attacking the guards with whatever makeshift weapons they could find . this resulted in pandemonium ; prisoners rushed along landings , overpowering officers and taking them hostage , while at the same time , other prisoners darted between cells , starting fires . the prisoners withdrew to the exercise yard , taking six hostages , as flames quickly overran the building , spread into the rafters , and caused the roof to collapse . police negotiators communicated with the ring leaders , and by nightfall only five hostages remained . meanwhile , the fire brigade had trouble bringing the inferno in the main cell block under control , as the prison 's gate was too narrow for their trucks , and prisoners impeded their endeavours by throwing debris at them . the prisoners ' leaders made three demands : a meeting with attorney general joseph , access to the media , and a guarantee of no retribution afterwards . the next morning , after 19 hours , the hostages were released , even though only the third demand had been met . prisoners did , however , have an opportunity to communicate with the press during the siege , as the riot was a live media event with television helicopters filming from overhead . although there were no deaths , the fire caused $ 1 . 8 million of damage , and officers were injured . in the aftermath of the riot , there was extensive media attention on fremantle prison , and investigative journalists uncovered prior warnings to the prison authorities of the risk of such an event . the government hastily initiated an enquiry into the incident , and a report was completed within six weeks . a trial involving thirty - three prisoners charged over the riot was also held , the largest in the state 's history , which resulted in lengthened sentences for the prisoners . conservation heritage listing fremantle prison was listed in the western australian register of historic places as an interim entry on 10 january 1992 and included as a permanent entry on 30 june 1995 . described as the best preserved convict - built prison in the country , it became the first building in western australia to be listed on the australian national heritage list , in 2005 . the australian federal heritage minister , senator ian campbell , stated that it would be included in a nomination of eleven convict areas to become world heritage sites . five years later , these locations were inscribed on the unesco world heritage list in 2010 as the australian convict sites . the process of obtaining world heritage listing focused historical interpretation and conservation efforts on the prison 's convict era . this came at the expense of its more recent history , included use as an internment centre during world war ii , and the imprisonment of aboriginal prisoners . the prioritisation , evident from the first conservation plans from before the prison closed , is reflected in the branding of the tourist experience as " fremantle prison – the convict establishment " , and through restorations that , while necessary to prevent damage and deterioration , strip away the site 's recent history . restoration various parts of fremantle prison have had restoration works undertaken since the 1990s ; a total of $ 800 , 000 was spent between 1996 / 97 and 1998 / 99 on works which included restoring the facade of the anglican chapel . in 2005 , work was undertaken on the restoration of the prison gatehouse area . non - original rendering was removed and the original stonework was revealed . work was also completed on the tunnels during 2005 / 06 , and the main cell block was restored with an eighteen month , $ 1 . 9 million project in 2006 and 2007 . the gallows room was restored in 2013 to conditions at the time of the last execution , in 1964 . tourism fremantle prison receives international and domestic tourists , as well as ex - prisoners , former prison officers , and their descendants . tourist numbers increased each year from 2001 / 02 to 2009 / 10 , up from almost 105 , 000 to nearly 180 , 000 over that period . as of 2014 , the prison has won , been a finalist in , or received other commendation at tourism or heritage awards each year since 2006 . while the tourist experience is based on authenticity and heritage values , some details are concealed or de - emphasised , such as prison tattooing , riots , and graffiti portraying revenge , sexuality , or brutality . attractions include guided tours , a visitors ' centre with searchable convict database , art gallery , café , gift shop , and tourist accommodation . educational activities are regularly held for school children , as are exhibitions and re - enactments of historical events . functions such as theme parties and dinners are held in the prison , with re - enactments serving as entertainment . tours of the prison show aspects of prison life and recount successful and attempted escapes . sections of the tunnels are accessible , and night tours focus on the prison 's reputation for being haunted . the fremantle prison collection contains around 15 , 000 items associated with the prison 's site , history , or the experiences of its workers and prisoners . it is also involved in preserving oral histories , with interview transcripts stored at fremantle prison and recordings archived in the library oral history collection . recollections have been recorded since 1989 , and include the experiences of authorities , staff , volunteer visitors , and prisoners . the fremantle prison records and collections , including archaeological , provide a substantial resource for researchers . the prison gallery showcases and offers for sale the artworks of current and ex - prisoners of western australia . it also hosts other exhibits related to the history of the prison , including historical artefacts . many cells and areas of the prison depict prisoners ' artwork , including that of the 19th - century forger james walsh , whose artwork was hidden beneath layers of white - wash for decades . painting or drawing on walls was originally forbidden , though graffiti , which could be viewed as art or vandalism , occurred throughout the prison 's operational years . this rule was relaxed in special cases – including , from 1976 , long - term prisoners within their own cells – but only for work considered art and not graffiti . art , or art therapy , was not officially permitted until the 1980s ; graffiti was never formally permitted , but in the prison 's last six months , with closure imminent , the rule was not enforced . a more contemporary prison artist was dennis ( ) , who stated that he found art on death row , in 1982 . some of his work currently is held in the collections of curtin university , perth central tafe , and the wa government , department of justice . other cells contain aboriginal artwork , many by unknown artists . the artist jimmy pike started painting in fremantle prison , having received tuition from steve culley and david wroth . attribution this article incorporates text from the source australian heritage database – fremantle prison ( former ) , 1 the terrace , fremantle , wa , australia , which is licensed under the creative commons attribution 3 . 0 australia licence ( cc - by 3 . 0 au ) . required attribution : © commonwealth of australia 2013 .