The Silverwater Women's Correctional Centre, an Australian maximum security facility for females is located within the complex. The Centre is divided into twelve living units, a protection/segregation area, an induction unit, a hospital annexe, and provides accommodation for both sentenced and unsentenced inmates and various special program units. The facility opened in 1970 as the old women's prison at Long Bay was converted into a medium security facility for men. Fraud is the most common reason for imprisonment. Inmates are eligible to study for national recognised qualifications including vocation and TAFE courses. In the 2010 New South Wales state budget, the prison was allocated $200,000 for a new video conferencing system.
Notable prisoners
Evie Amati convicted of the attempted murder of 3 people.
Lindy ChamberlainNew Zealand-born Australian convicted and later acquitted of murdering her 9-week old daughter Azaria; Chamberlain gave birth to another child of her husband Michael Chamberlain while in custody; she was held at Silverwater, then transferred to Berrima Correctional Centre; incarcerated from 29 October 1982 to 7 February 1986.
Kathleen Folbigg convicted of the murders of her 3 infant children.
Maddison Hall convicted of the murder of hitchhiker Lyn Saunders.
Theresa Lawson convicted of the largest fraud in NSW history.
Mélina Roberge and Isabelle Lagacétwo French Canadians incarcerated after a world cruise for trying to import a record amount of cocaine into the country.
Rachel Pfitnzer, convicted of murdering her son Dean
Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre
The Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre, an Australian maximum security facility for males is located within the complex. The prison opened in 1997, and has a capacity of 900 inmates. It is the largest single correctional centre in Australia. The majority of inmates are unconvicted or unsentenced. In March, 1999, Russian Australian librarian Lucy Dudko hired a helicopter supposedly to check out the upcoming Olympic site in Sydney. Using a gun, she forced pilot, Tim Joyce, to land within the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre grounds. Waiting was her partner John Killick, who was serving 28 years for armed robberies. He jumped in the helicopter making an escape while being fired on by guards and cheered on by inmates. They landed in a park where Killick hijacked a taxi at gunpoint. The two were able to elude authorities for six weeks before being arrested at the Bass Hill Tourist Park. In 2004, the Independent Commission Against Corruption conducted an investigation at the prison which concluded that mobile phones were becoming a significant security threat in Australian correctional facilities. In April 2012, the facility was inundated with members of outlaw motorcycle clubs. Segregation between members of the same gangs is enforced in an effort to break member ties.
Notable prisoners
Rodney Adlerdisgraced former director of HIH Insurance and businessman.
Hew Raymond GriffithsBritish-born Australian alleged software pirate, before his extradition to the US.
