 Rear of the prison complex | |
 | |
| Location | Peter Brown Drive, Northfield, South Australia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°50′40″S 138°37′43″E / 34.84444°S 138.62861°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | Maximum security |
| Capacity | 468[1] |
| Opened | 1854 |
| Managed by | Department for Correctional Services |
Yatala Labour Prison is a high-security men's prison located in the north-eastern part of the northern Adelaide suburb Northfield, South Australia. It was built in 1854 to enable prisoners to work at Dry Creek, quarrying rock for roads and construction. Originally known as The Stockade of Dry Creek or just The Stockade, it acquired its current name from a local Kaurna word relating to inundation by water, which was used for the Hundred of Yatala.
The prison has been expanded many times but still has functioning buildings that date to the 1850s. It remains Adelaide's main male prison and although it was scheduled to be closed by 2011, it has remained open due to the Global Financial Crisis leading to a lack of funding for a replacement prison.