Nearly two centuries of New South Wales prison history is at the heart of a tug-of-war in the historic town of Berrima. From a small shop in the main street of Berrima, a local resident, Eric Savage, is trying to raise awareness about the plans for the adaptive reuse of the historic Berrima Gaol and the need to protect this local treasure.
Savage, who has received the Citizen of the Year award for his community advocacy, would prefer the jail remain a community and cultural asset, utilising the space to sustain its history while opening it for shops and a museum, offering tourists a glimpse into Australia’s criminal justice system.
