Key Information
- The Tasmanian Government has released the masterplan for the new Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility.
- The design of the new facility has been guided by a Model of Care to provide a therapeutic environment.
- Consultation on the New Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility Masterplan, [PDF,13.4MB] has now closed.
- A summary of the feedback received during consultation is being prepared and will be published soon.
Project overview
The Tasmanian Government will close the Ashley Youth Detention Centre (AYDC) as soon as possible.
The decision to close AYDC and build a new facility aligns with the recommendations of the Youth Justice Blueprint and the Tasmanian Government’s Commission of Inquiry. These recommendations prioritise therapeutic approaches. Evidence shows that therapeutic approaches prevent reoffending and keep the community safer.
The Department of Premier and Cabinet has led the design of the new Facility including the development of the Masterplan. Delivery of the Facility will transition to the Department for Education, Children and Young People who will also have responsibility for its ongoing management.
The new facility will be delivered alongside supported accommodation and supported bail options. The Youth Justice Taskforce is working with the community sector to look at options to deliver these services.
Masterplan
The Tasmanian Government released a Masterplan for new Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility (the Facility) in May 2025.
The purpose of the Facility is to provide:
- A safe, secure and rehabilitative facility for children and young people.
- A facility where healing and wellbeing is the primary focus.
- An environment where children and young people are supported to address their offending behaviour and successfully return to the community as positive, contributing members of society.
- An environment where children, young people, staff and visitors feel safe and supported.
- The community with confidence that children and young people in detention are in a safe, purpose-built facility that provides a high standard of care and rehabilitation support.
The Facility will be built at 466 Brighton Road, Pontville, with access off Rifle Range Road. Rifle Range Road will be upgraded to support this use.
The Facility will provide an environment where children and young people experience the highest standards of child centred, rights-based and therapeutic care. It will also provide them with education, services and opportunities that support them to enhance connections and return successfully to the community.
The Facility will have a non-institutional feel and be low-lying in the landscape. A ‘Building as Perimeter’ model has been adopted. This means views from within the buildings and houses in the Facility will have clear sight lines to the surrounding rural land and the hills forming the valley in which it sits.
The large site (~32ha) allows the Facility to sit approximately 150m away from surrounding uses. It is expected that the open space around the Facility will continue to be used as horse grazing land. This provides further opportunity for windows from the facility to look directly out to the landscape.
The design of the Facility is being guided by a Model of Care which adopts evidence-based trauma-informed principles to provide a therapeutic environment that acknowledges the trauma histories that exist for many of the children and young people in the youth justice system.
The safety, both physical and psychological, of children and young people, staff and neighbours will be at the forefront as the design for the Facility progresses.
The masterplan delivers:
- Sixteen residential beds, plus two treatment beds in the health centre and two orientation beds in the admissions area (20 in total). The sixteen residential beds will be delivered in two four-bed houses, two three-bed houses and two single bed studios (for transition of care or individual specialised care).
- A health centre providing health and mental health support.
- Education and outdoor recreation facilities.
- A cultural centre and garden. This will provide greater opportunity for connection to family, community and country.
The site will be protected by both physical and electronic security systems.
Read the New Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility Masterplan, [PDF,13.4MB] for more information.
Consultation on the Masterplan
The consultation period on the Masterplan has now closed. We thank everyone that took part in the consultation process.
A summary of the engagement is currently in development and will be published soon.
If you have any more questions, please contact our Stakeholder Engagement team at ERA Planning and Environment:
- Phone: (03) 6165 0443
- Email: newyjfacility@decyp.tas.gov.au
Project specific legislation
The Youth Justice Facility Development Bill 2025 [PDF,157KB] has been tabled in Parliament to support the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to close the Ashely Youth Detention Centre and establish a new, therapeutic youth detention facility as soon as possible.
The Bill supports the urgent delivery of the new Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility at 466 Brighton Road, Pontville by establishing a modified LUPAA approval process to ensure the project can proceed with minimal further delay, while maintaining appropriate safeguards and public input.
This project is a critical step in closing the Ashley Youth Detention Centre and implementing the Tasmanian Government’s broader youth justice reforms.
Debate on the Bill commenced in Parliament from 27 May 2025.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
A list of frequently asked questions about the new youth justice facility has been developed.
Click through to learn more about the project, including the design and construction phase, operation and the consultation period.
Further information
If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact us at the below details.
Contact: New Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility
- Address: GPO Box 123, HOBART, TASMANIA 7001
- Email: newyjfacility@decyp.tas.gov.au
- Phone: (03) 6165 0443