The Bathurst riots were a series of violent incidents that occurred at Bathurst Gaol, a prison in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, in October 1970 and February 1974. On both occasions, a sit-in protest by inmates escalated into a prison riot. Each riot was followed by violent reprisals from prison officers, the so-called Bathurst Batterings.[1] The second outbreak of violence at Bathurst led to the partial destruction and temporary closure of the prison, and ultimately to a Royal Commission into the entire State prison system.