Rare chance to activate a piece of SA history
The state government is calling for bold ideas on how to best reactivate one of South Australia’s most unique tourism offerings, the State Heritage-listed Gladstone Gaol.
Tourism operators, businesses and community organisations are encouraged to submit high-quality proposals, via a public expression of interest (EOI), describing how they would reinvigorate the goal site.
The EOI is calling for local, national, and international proponents to submit plans for the goal that would:
- Activate it through innovative uses.
- Respect its heritage and cultural values.
- Provide sustainable economic and social benefits.
- Create a destination that will benefit the community and surrounding regions.
This could mean guided tourism experiences, cultural interpretation, event and hospitality options, or other commercial ventures, such as office spaces.
Located about 200 kilometres north of Adelaide, the gaol operated as a medium-security prison between 1881 and 1975, and as a military detention barracks during World War II.
The gaol permanently closed in 1975, but in 1978 was reopened offering historic tours to visitors.
The gaol closed again in 2022 and since then the Department for Environment and Water has performed a range of repairs and maintenance work to the gaol’s buildings and houses in a bid to get it ready for reactivation.
These works included the installation of new roofing and stormwater systems and the repair of some ceilings, floors, verandahs and gutters.
More information about the EIO, which is open for three weeks, is available here:
