New Norfolk Convict Invalid Station

This modest Invalid Station, administered by the Medical Department, was situated at New Norfolk.

La Trobe's report states, the quarters were aged and in poor condition, with forty-four berths crowded into a single ward. The prisoners were not segregated by class or condition and were visited weekly by both Protestant and Roman Catholic clergymen. Among the eighty-four convicts, thirty-two were blind, while others were tasked with labour on new hospital buildings, as well as hauling gravel, wood, and water. For these services, they received a small allowance from the Government.

The Convict Department, an integral component of the Imperial establishment—distinct from the Colonial administration—operated under the direct authority of the Governor. By the year 1871, the number of Imperial convicts, including those who had been confined to lunatic asylums, had diminished to such an extent that their custody was transferred to the Colonial authorities. However, the financial burden of their care continued to be borne by Imperial funds.