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,15MB] is now open.
- Details on how to take part in the consultation are below.
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 have released a Masterplan for new Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility (the Facility).
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,15MB] for more information.
Consultation on the Masterplan
The consultation period on the Masterplan is open from 6 May 2025 and will close on 25 May 2025.
You can provide feedback on the design shown in the Masterplan by attending a community drop-in session.
Session 1 community drop-in details:
Date –
- Wednesday, 14 May 2025 (4.00 – 6.00PM)
Location –
- Brighton Football Club, 325 Brighton Road, Pontville
Session 2 community drop-in details:
Date –
- Thursday, 22 May 2025 (4.00 – 6.00PM)
Location –
- Brighton Football Club, 325 Brighton Road, Pontville
At these drop-in sessions, you will have the opportunity to talk with the project team, as well as the program delivery team, who will be supporting the children and young people in the centre.
These will be informal meetings, and you are welcome to drop in at any time while we are there. You do not need to RSVP to attend.
If these times or this location is not convenient for you, or if you would like to provide feedback in another way, please contact our Stakeholder Engagement team at ERA Planning and Environment
- Phone: (03) 6165 0443
- Email: newyjfacility@decyp.tas.gov.au
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