Upper Taieri Ferry Jail (Gaol)

The Upper Taieri Ferry Gaol was built in 1861. It was acquired in original condition by the Taieri Historical Society, having been used as a storage shed at a residence in Outram since 1972. It was relocated to the Taieri Historical Park on Reservoir Hill, Outram in 1980.

Built for the Police Department, the building is constructed of solid kauri. There are initials and dates carved onto the building near the entrance.

Excerpt from More Taieri Buildings (p.58) by Daphne Lemon, 1972:

In March 1972 the old Outram jail, which for about two years has belonged to Mr J L McPherson, was moved from behind the old police station (built in 1903) in Beaumaris Street to the garden of the 90-100 year old house with the iron railing in the main street of Outram. It is to be used for storage. Built of kauri, it contains two small dark cells about 6ft x 11ft and 7ft x 8ft, each with a small skylight built into the top of the roof to make an escape difficult. The substantial doors each retain two massive bolts, the original large hinges and also the observation holed with a moveable cover which is secured with an iron pin to a heavy piece of chain. This jail was probably built shortly after the gold strike at Gabriel's Gully in June 1861, when a police camp was established at the old Ferry township which was later rebuilt at Outram. From this time life in this remote area was abruptly changed by the thousands of diggers who crossed the Taieri River there by the ford or ferry on their way to the Tuapeka and later to the Dunstan.

The jail can be viewed today on the Taieri Historical park at Outram, and visitors will note that there is a 'prisoner' in residence in one of the cells.