Waikune Prison Camp

Opened: 1921     Closed: 1986
Status: Abandoned: 24 years
Located: Waikune, National Park

Waikune Prison held around 100 minimum-security inmates.
Inmates worked in nearby forestry areas, did track maintenance for the
Department of Conservation, cleared ski-field roads and even did the laundry for
Tongariro’s famous Grand Chateau Hotel. In the mid-1980s the prison required a
large amount of capital investment to upgrade its buildings and infrastructure.
The government of the time, after a select committee hearing, decided to close the facility.
Inmates were moved to other sites around the country and the prison officially closed in 1986.


These day's the prison sit's very derelict. One of the two prison building's structure and roof has given way. While there are a few buildings on the site that have potential the over all condition of the location is really like all the others, abandoned. Which leads to vandalization. The prison and much of its surrounding land area was given to local Iwi in the early 2000's  in Treaty settlements.

Source: Corrections NZ
Photography: Nathan, Hazel.