Shower block

Anger

Cell-block heavies ran the showers ...

There was definitely blokes raped. There was definitely blokes bashed and flogged. That’s no doubt.19

Interpretation framework

Shower block Anger

Narrative arc: Climax

Free of the surveillance of security cameras, the shower block was one of the most lawless places in the prison, a place where anger exploded. Cell heavies could administer violent retribution and a code of silence meant no one would report what had happened.

Anger at the prison system boiled over in 1975 into a gaol-wide riot by prisoners and violence was meted out by officers in return. Prisoner 520 remembers the nearby B-wing being damaged as prisoners ‘were bashed running the gauntlet from one end of the gaol to the other with baseball bat sized wooden batons.’20

The shower block also tells the story of the daring escape led by Ray Denning in 1977.

Note: while this area of the gaol is still in development, devices such as sound, projections and signage are opportunities and are subject to change.

Interpretive concepts

Experience 1 (Group)

Guided tour point

The guide should deliver their portion of the tour as the group enters the shower block. After this, allow them to explore.

Key audience: Family groups, school groups, over 55s

Experience 2 (Group)

The escape

Characters: Escapee, community

Story: Taking advantage of an airvent and some poor design choices, four prisoners successfully devised and performed an escape, for a few hours at least.

Audience: All

Suggested devices:

• Audio—directional speakers

• Interpretation signage

Interpretation framework