Robe Gaol Ruins
Robe Gaol
Stone-wall remains of one of South Australia's earliest prisons, built in the 1860s, right beside the obelisk trail; interpretive panels tell the story of crime and punishment in the colonial era.
Robe Gaol was built in 1860 to 1861 and was the main prison in the southeast of South Australia at the time. It held drunken sailors, cattle thieves and other offenders. It closed in 1881 and was gradually abandoned, and much of its stone was salvaged for reuse. Today only low limestone wall footings and the outline of the courtyard remain. The local council has installed interpretive panels describing the prison's history and the stories of its inmates. Admission is free. The ruins sit beside the road to the Cape Dombey Obelisk, and they combine well with the obelisk, the lighthouse and the cliff trail; about 15 to 20 minutes is enough to see them.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Cape Dombey Obelisk
- Robe Chinese Monument
- Robe Customs House Maritime Museum
- Robe Town Beach
- Victoria Street, Robe
- Long Beach
- Little Dip Conservation Park
- Woakwine Cutting