Detention Centre Cell

US Military Stockade

The detention cell was constructed c 1942 and is located beside Duckworth Street near the Townsville - Cairns rail line. This facility was a prison for enlisted offenders. This reinforced concrete structure with steel ventilation grilles is now the only intact building remaining on its original site in the former US 4th Air Depot site.

Place information

Location

Blakely’s Crossing stockade (Duckworth Street)

Garbutt, QLD 4810

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Place type

Internment/POW facility

History

As it was primarily an American facility, few records are readily available about its role. However the memoir Nor Iron Bars A Cage, by former Superintendant of Townsville Stewart Creek Gaol John Stephenson does provide some detail.

The Garbutt stockade held military prisoners that were awaiting execution, court martial or were considered to be violent. Other offenders were held there before being transferred to Fort Leavenworth in the US where the Disciplinary Barracks were located. In 1942, Colonel Patterson, the US Provost Marshal was given approval to use the Stewart Creek civilian jail near Townsville as an auxiliary to the Garbutt...

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