Welcome to the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre

Bimberi Youth Justice Centre is the ACT’s new youth custodial facility located in Morisset Rd, Mitchell Canberra. It replaces the Quamby Youth Detention Centre.

Bimberi is the first youth custodial facility in Australia to be designed, built and operated under Human Rights legislation.

The centre is managed by the ACT Government through the Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services.

The purpose-built centre is designed in the style of a secondary school campus and can accommodate up to 40 young people aged from 10 - 18 years but can accommodate some young people up to age 21.

Bimberi staff work with government agencies and community organisations providing education, training, healthcare and recreation to address the needs of young people.

Bimberi’s key objective is to assist sentenced young people to understand, address and take responsibility for their offending or risk taking behaviours.

Latest News

Bimberi Handbook - A Young Person's Guide to Bimberi Youth Justice Centre  1.3mb

Lasting Change – A guide for families, carers and the community

General information regarding the services and programs available at Bimberi.
Lasting Change  468kb

Visiting Times and Conditions

Families, carers and significant people are encouraged to remain a central part of a young person’s life. Visits are allowed subject to prior approval and booking.

NB: The following visiting times and conditions apply to Quamby Youth Detention Centre until further notice

NB: Visiting conditions apply at Quamby Youth Detention Centre.

A copy of the visiting conditions is available for inspection on request. A summary of the visiting conditions is as follows:

Conditions of entry

It is a condition of entry that the visitor is required to produce photographic identification.

It is a condition of entry that a visitor does not bring a prohibited thing into the Centre, give a prohibited thing to a young detainee or remove a prohibited thing from the Centre. A list of prohibited things is on the bottom of this Information Sheet. It is an offence under the Children and Young People Act 2008 for a person to take a prohibited thing into a detention place, give a prohibited thing to a young detainee or remove a prohibited thing from a detention place. The penalty is up to 100 penalty units ($10,000), imprisonment for 1 year or both.

Requirements for visitor conduct during visits

• a visitor must comply with all directions given by a youth detention officer;
• a visitor must comply with any conditions for the visit;
• a visitor must not engage in physical contact, behaviour or use language that may offend staff other young detainees or visitors;
• a visitor must be considerate of, and not cause disruption to, other visits;
• adult visitors or primary caregivers are responsible for the care and behaviour of any children brought into the Centre.

General Information

• all family visits need to be booked on the day of the visit. Please call 62070600;
• all legal or welfare visits must be arranged through case management and a booking made. Call 62070600;
• any visitor that arrives without a booking may be refused entry to the centre;
• all visitors must be approved before entry. All adult visitors must bring photo ID;
• any visitor that appears under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be refused entry
• a visitor may be subject to a scanning, frisk or ordinary search prior to entering the Centre or while at the Centre;
• a visitor may be subject to both CCTV and audio monitoring while at the Centre and a visitor’s actions and voice may be recorded
• a visitor’s property may also be subject to a search after entry to the Centre;
• a visitor may be given a lawful direction by a youth detention officer to do or not do something to ensure compliance with the Visiting Conditions or security at the Centre. A visitor must comply with a direction given to them by a youth detention officer. It is an offence under the Children and Young People Act 2008 if a person fails to comply with a lawful direction. The penalty is up to 50 penalty units ($5,000), imprisonment for 6 months or both
• a visitor may be given a direction not to enter or to leave the Centre. A visitor must comply with a direction given to them not to enter or to leave. It is an offence under the Children and Young People Act 2008 if a person fails to comply with a direction not to enter or to leave. The penalty is up to 50 penalty units ($5,000), imprisonment for 6 months or both. A visitor who fails to comply with a direction not to enter or to leave may be removed by force.

Prohibited Things

• cigarettes, cigarette papers, pipes and tobacco
• alcohol, drugs or associated paraphernalia
• lighters, matches and flints
• weapons or firearms
• mobile phones
• non Issued keys
• money, credit cards or bankcards
• pornography or material containing adult, criminal or offensive content
  any part of a thing mentioned above
• prescription and non-prescription medication, other than prescription and non-prescription medication that the Senior Manager has approved to be taken by a young detainee
• tools and related equipment, other than at times designated as program times or for a specific program or as approved by the Senior Manager for another lawful purpose
• razor blades, knives or anything that can be used to cut, other than at meal times or as authorised by the Senior Manager for another lawful purpose
• food stuffs, other than at meal times or as approved by the Senior Manager
• prams and bassinettes, other than those required for specific needs as approved by the Senior Manager
• toiletry products other than those issued or approved for issue by the Senior Manager
• grooming products other than those issued or approved for issue by the Senior Manager
• needles, syringes or other sharps except those required for specific needs as approved by the Senior Manager
• cameras unless approved by the Senior Manager for a specific purpose
• handbags, backpacks or bags of any kind unless approved by the Senior Manager
• petrol, thinners or propellants of any kind unless approved by the Senior Manager for a lawful purpose
• glues or aerosols other than at times designated as program times or for a specific program or as approved by the Senior Manager for another lawful purpose
• mirrors, glass, ceramics of any kind other than at times designated as program times or for a specific program or as approved by the Senior Manager for another lawful purpose
• jewellery unless approved by the Senior Manager
• cosmetics of any kind unless required for specific needs or programs as approved by the Senior Manager
• wire, rope or cord of any kind other than at times designated as program times or for a specific program or approved by the Senior Manager for another lawful purpose
• portable electronic equipment other than at times designated as program times or for a specific program or approved by the Senior Manager for another lawful purpose
• personal possessions unless approved by the Senior Manager

Public Transport to Bimberi

Buses to Bimberi are available through ACTION www.action.act.gov.au . The number 82 bus travels from the Civic interchange, up Flemington Road and Morisset Rd to Bimberi.

The Children and Young People Act 2008

The Children and Young People Act 2008 commenced on 9 September 2008. Policies and procedures under the Act relating to Quamby and Bimberi are notified and available on the ACT Legislation Register www.legislation.act.gov.au  

Fact Sheets on Bimberi

Information about the philosophy of Youth Justice in the ACT, environmental initiatives included in the design of Bimberi and the program and services model to be implemented at Bimberi.

Philosophy around youth justice in the ACT  112kb
Philosophy around youth justice in the ACT  52kb

Sustainability - A key element of design and operation of Bimberi Youth Centre  91kb
Sustainability - A key element of design and operation of Bimberi Youth Centre  46kb

Programs & Service  91kb
Programs & Services  301kb

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