HM Prison Fairlea - Closure

Closure

Within ten years of the rebuilding, a change of Government led to the demise of Fairlea. The new Liberal Government began the privatisation of the prison system and as a result private contractors won the right to administer the women’s prison system. A new privately-run prison, the Metropolitan Women's Correctional Centre was built at Deer Park and during the course of 1996 the inmates of Fairlea Prison were transferred across to the new facility. The Metropolitan Women's Correctional Centre was returned to government control in 2000.

Fairlea Women's Prison finally closed in August 1996, with the majority of structures demolished shortly thereafter. The basketball courts, Parks Victoria Office, and the adjacent building are the only structural remains of Fairlea, with the remaining grounds returned to parkland. Fairlea Road and the Fairlea East and Fairlea West ovals identify the former prison site. During its forty years of operation nearly 18,000 female inmates served time at Fairlea Women's Prison. Fairlea is registered with Heritage Victoria and given the register number VHR H1552.