I love that fact that part of one of the University of Ballarat’s campuses is a former gaol. High, thick brick walls, heavy iron gates and a creepy-looking watchtower.
The gaol was built in the mid-1800s and included a connecting tunnel from the courthouse for the prisoners. The gaol was demolished in after its closing in 1961 but there’s no mention of whether the tunnel still exists. I want to know! This tells me nothing.
One of the girls in class today said apparently prisoners were buried in the courtyard beyond the first picture’s gates. Buried standing upright. Allegedly, it was to prevent them from ever being a rest, even in death. I’m not sure if this is a myth in a town that saw so much action in the 1800s or if it’s actually true, but I reckon it’s a bit rough to have to stand for eternity. I start bitching after about twenty minutes on my feet.
I always think it’s a little bit ironic that as bratty, self-important teenagers, my friends and I would complain that being at high school, a place none of us wanted to be at, was like being in prison. Now that I’m at school because I really want to be, I go to school in a former gaol.
Also something that my seventeen-year-old self would have loved: just across the way from the gaol gates is another building. The Brewery Building. Yep, I also go to school in an old boozer. This pleases me. A lot.
Tee hee! Prison and beer, awesome!
ReplyDeleteBit rough being buried upright if that is in fact true ... then again, I am Russian Orthodox, so I can stand for hours, lol.
I love that campus! Not too sure if I'd be up for walking around there at night though...
ReplyDeleteHave you read Shantaram? There's a bit where they talk about the standing monks who are punishing themselves by standing upright ALL the time, including when sleeping. Needless to say, they quite like their opium to deal with the pain.
ReplyDeleteI read that part thinking 'omg! i would complain ALL the time if I had do that!'
I went on a Ballarat ghost tour and they said the same thing about the prisoners! I think it's true.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think there are a couple of tunnels still there.
The photos are really gorgeous Annelise!
wow, that is definitely a really interesting campus! so much history! haha i would love to say i went to school in an old brewery.. pretty awesome
ReplyDeleteHow fricking awesome! Those pics are gorgeous. It's a really pretty place! And I bet the tunnel is still there. Don't you? What a cool place to be going to school. A prison and a brewery. It just doesn't get any better.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome place! This is totally showing my American ignorance, but it took me a few seconds to realize that gaol = jail. Duh.
ReplyDeletewhoa, that's totally awesome! especially the brewery. :D
ReplyDeleteoh mylanta! it looks so so cool. i love how creepy it looks :) it is still pretty shocking to me to know that most the buildings in boston are hundreds of years old, when in florida nothing was older than my parents. crazy!
ReplyDeleteLove it!! Prison, boozery,yes I'd say that university has the foundations of a fantastic institution of higher learning.
ReplyDeleteHahaha awesome. Your school is the coolest and I say only one way to see if those tunnels are still around. Grab a shovel! :)
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