Jo Wiltshire

Trial Bay gaol sits at the end of the bay in the Arakoon National Park. It was initially built to hold criminal prisoners. It is made out of the local hard granite stone - which is quite sparkly in the sun. The stone was cut by masons and when the prison was finished the inmates were employed to cut and haul the stone to make a breakwall adjacent to the gaol to make a safe haven for ships traveling the coast.
The breakwall was not very successful and kept breaking away from the continual pounding of the sea. The project stopped before completion and it remains only a relatively short length but it does provide a lovely sheltered spot for boating and swimming activities.
The gaol was later used as a detention centre for men of German descent when WW2 broke out. The men had a fair amount of freedom and leisure activities, and although separated from family they had a reasonably nice existence while detained. They were allowed to visit the beach, fish, ran a bakery and staged plays in their theatre within the gaol grounds.
It is well worth a visit to the museum attached and the film on view is very informative. Guided tours weren't in operation due to the pandemic.Read more