Established in 1873, NSW’s oldest operational gaol was exclusively used between 1957 and 1984 to imprison men based on their gender identity or sexual orientation.
The inclusion of the gaol on the State Heritage Register acknowledges the gaol’s legacy and the individuals who suffered within its walls.
For decades, gay men, transwomen, and non-binary people were incarcerated at Cooma Gaol for the crime of homosexuality, a crime that remained illegal in NSW until it was decriminalised in 1984.
Cooma Gaol was central during the early push for law reform, serving as a focal point for the first public campaigns to decriminalise homosexuality.
The formation of the Homosexual Law Reform Society in Canberra in 1969 and Campaign Against Moral Persecution (CAMP) Inc in Sydney in 1970 were direct responses to the injustices faced by those imprisoned at Cooma.
Today, the site is known as Cooma Correctional Centre and remains operational as a minimum and medium security facility.
The Cooma Correctional Centre now also features the ‘Crime Through Time’ museum, a living museum that showcases the history of corrective programs and services in NSW since 1788.
The listing of the gaol on the State Heritage Register will be marked with an appropriate and respectful permanent commemoration at the centre.
Cooma Gaol’s inclusion on the NSW State Heritage Register acknowledges the resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community and honours those who were unjustly confined within its walls.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Corrections Anoulack Chanthivong:
“The inclusion of Cooma Gaol on the State Heritage Register is important in that it ensures the stories of those who were unjustly treated are acknowledged and preserved for generations to come.
“This recognition comes following the NSW Government’s apology last year for the trauma endured by people of diverse sexualities for past convictions under discriminatory laws that criminalised homosexual acts and saw them sent to prisons such as Cooma Gaol.
“By acknowledging the past injustices faced by LGBTQIA+ people at Cooma Gaol, we take a vital step towards healing the past.”
Quotes attributable to the Member for Monaro the Hon. Steve Whan MP:
“Cooma Gaol’s imposing gate and towering granite walls have stood as an enduring feature of Cooma, serving as a visible reminder of our heritage as one of the state’s original prison towns.
“The State Heritage listing is a recognition of the Gaol’s historical significance, not a change to its current operations and I want to assure the community that the prison will continue to function as a correctional facility, just as it is.”
