Port Augusta Prison is a multi-purpose facility providing
accommodation for up to 280 high, medium and low security prisoners
including protectees and special needs prisoners. Of this 280-bed
capacity, up to 8 beds are utilised for women prisoners.
The prison is one of only two facilities in the State that
provides specific accommodation for female prisoners and the only
prison to provide regular accommodation for both male and female
prisoners.
The Department’s Mobile Outback Work Camps (MOWCamps)
operate from this prison. The program continues to provide benefits
to the community through its work in National Parks at Balcoona,
Danggali, and the Coorong and the Gawler Ranges. Danggali has
recently been wound down with the advent of a new camp in the
Gawler Ranges. Significant work has been undertaken at Cantara
Homestead, located at the southern end of the Coorong. Prisoners
have spent many hours renovating the building to a level where it
is now used as living quarters for the camp.
The prison has a MOU with the Corporation City of Port Augusta
to facilitate community service projects. These projects are
undertaken by a work gang which operates from the low security
cottages, and include various work details undertaking graffiti
removal, park construction and maintenance and general clean up of
the foreshore area. This community service has also extended to
other community organisations.
The prison has increased its ability to reduce the amount of
water wastage, by installing a 45 000 litre tank that is used in
conjunction with the current system to treat ‘grey
water’. This water is recycled and used on the oval. As a
further expansion of the recycled water program, materials were
purchased for the installation of a trial subsurface irrigation
system. Prisoners under the supervision of Building Services staff
will install the system. The long-term goal is to have all garden
areas irrigated with recycled water, significantly reducing the use
of mains water.
