Opened in 1883, the Fannie Bay Gaol was the major detention centre in Darwin for almost 100 years until 1979, when prisoners were relocated to the new correctional facility located in Berrimah.
Now open as an historic site, the integrity of the precinct and the severity of the buildings still convey the oppressive atmosphere for which they were originally intended. The original buildings comprise of cell blocks, a kitchen and wash house, an infirmary, a watch tower, and a 'native section' for Aboriginal prisoners. The infirmary contains the gallows, installed for executions held in the Territory until 1952.
