Supporting Bathurst's Battlers - prison gate ministry

When Bathurst Goal opened in 1888, the local Salvation Army quickly moved to help released prisoners stay on track by setting up a Prison Gate ministry. Employment was not easy to obtain for recently released prisoners, so The Salvation Army’s “Prison Gate Fort” as it was known, offered work, training and support. A farm was secured at Wimbledon, not far from Bathurst. It began with 320 acres and grew to 2300 acres of farmland, taking in released prisoners and destitute men not just from Bathurst, but from other parts of NSW as well. It’s goal was to test, train, help and reform those in its care. The farm was later relocated to a site in Sydney. The Salvation Army’s ministry to prisoners continues to this day in Bathurst, with court and prison chaplains offering a friendly face and a listening ear to accused and convicted criminals.