Banksia Hill Detention Centre is a maximum-security facility that holds sentenced and unsentenced boys and girls from all regions of Western Australia. Unsentenced young people there can range from 10 to 17 years of age. Any young person sentenced before they turn 18 can stay there until they reach their earliest release date unless a court orders their transfer to an adult prison.

Banksia Hill opened in October 1997. The centre underwent a major redevelopment from 2010 to 2012. Following this, the Rangeview Remand Centre was closed and converted into an adult prison. In October 2012, Banksia Hill became Western Australia’s only youth detention centre. There was a major riot in January 2013, after which most of the male detainees were placed in two units in Hakea Prison until October 2013.

In July 2022, following persistent destruction of cells and other infrastructure, Unit 18 within Casuarina Prison was gazetted as a youth detention centre to temporarily house disruptive male detainees.

Page last updated: June 2, 2023
148: Inspection of Banksia Hill Detention Centre and Unit 18 at Casuarina Prison (Part One)