News
16 October, 2025
Berrima Gaol Redevelopment on Exhibition
The planning proposal for the old Berrima Correctional Centre/Berrima Gaol is now on public exhibition.
The planning proposal for the old Berrima Correctional Centre/Berrima Gaol is now on public exhibition.
The proposed Berrima Hotel (also known as The Berrima Quarter) is a State Significant Development and will be determined by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces or the Independent Planning Commission.
The exhibition period opened today (Thursday, October 16) with the application and associated documents available for viewing on the NSW Planning Portal website under major projects.
Members of the public are welcome to make a submission via the NSW Planning Portal before November 12.
The proposal is for ‘adaptive re-use’ of the gaol as a hotel facility to include:
· Boutique accommodation including 55 hotel rooms;
· Restaurant, bar and lounge area;
· Meeting rooms and a function space;
· Hotel administration, commercial and retail spaces;
· Guest services including spa, wellness centre and gym;
· Landscaped areas and gardens;
· 195 space carpark for guests and staff to the south of the gaol wall with provision to be used for temporary community events.
The applicant is Blue Sox Investments Pty Ltd.
Documents on display as part of the exhibition process include an outline Heritage Impact Statement (HIS), an environmental scoping report and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Members of the public also have access to correspondence on the proposal from a range of agencies including Wingecarribee Shire Council and Heritage NSW.
As previously reported, Blue Sox purchased the site in 2022 at a cost of $7 million with plans to turn it into a “lively community hub”.
If the proposal is approved, there is expected to be another 12 months of detailed design work before construction commences.
Construction would take approximately two years with possible completion in 2029-30.
The Berrima Gaol – more recently known as the Berrima Correctional Centre – was opened in 1839.
It held maximum and minimum security prisoners – both male and female – and was used as a prisoner camp during World War 1.
The correctional centre was closed in 2020 as it was no longer fit-for-purpose and was considered surplus to Corrective Service NSW’s requirements.
The applicant’s vision for the site is to breathe new life into the former gaol, to acknowledge the layered history, celebrate the historical significance and open the grounds for local residents and visitors to experience the iconic buildings and surrounding landscaping.
The proposal has been met with a mixed response from local residents.
While some people are in favour of the proposal if the site’s historical significance is protected, others say it ignores community interests.
To view the proposal and to make a submission visit www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects and search for Berrima Hotel.
For more information about the applicant’s vision for the site, visit www.theberrimagaol.com.au
Read More: Berrima, Southern Highlands