Old Castlemaine Gaol.

Fabulous setting up on a hill. Expansive views over town.

What a nice spot. Of course you don’t see this if you’re behind the walls. Only if you’re standing outside on a glorious sunny day. Or sitting.

Castlemaine is an old gold rush town between Ballarat and Bendigo in central Victoria. Castlemaine Gaol was built between 1857 and 1861.

Here’s some glimpses:

Castlemaine Gaol was going strong until 1990 when Loddon Prison opened nearby. These days, there’s a cafe, a community radio station and ghost tours at the old gaol.

Speaking of Castlemaine, 16 year old Maxwell Skinner, serial escapee, escaped from Castlemaine Reformatory in 1944. But that’s a prison farm for naughty youths further down the road at Muckleford. All that’s left these days is Prison Farm Road.

THE END