Chisholm Road Prison is currently being constructed and will be Victoria's new maximum security prison in the Barwon South West region near Geelong, next to the existing prison precinct which includes Barwon Prison and Marngoneet Correctional Centre.
A milestone of two million total hours of work was reached during June 2021, with workers completing over 265,000 labour hours per month and the external structures of 41 buildings on-site now largely complete.
Construction activity will peak from July to September, with more than 1400 workers on-site each day to progress roofing, landscaping and internal fit-out works.
The construction site covers an area approximately five times the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, near the existing Barwon Prison Precinct.
The construction is directing $16.3 million to social enterprises that support Australian veterans, indigenous and disadvantaged Victorians and people with a disability.
Ten per cent of labour hours on the project are allocated to young workers including apprentices, trainees and cadets and a further 30,000 hours to Victorians living in postcode areas with high unemployment including Norlane, Corio, Whittington and Colac.
Ninety-two per cent of content used to construct the prison, including labour and materials, have been sourced locally from Australia and New Zealand with the project also aiming to maximise the use of locally milled steel.
Construction on the project started in February 2020 and is scheduled for completion in 2022.
Capital expansion of the prison from 700 to 1248 beds was included as part of $1.8 billion in new spending on Victoria’s prisons and corrections system announced in the 2019–20 Budget.
Construction of the prison is being managed by John Holland, overseen by the Community Safety Building Authority, which delivers infrastructure on behalf of the Department of Justice and Community Safety.
For more information on the project visit the Community Safety Building Authority website (External link).