Cessnock Correctional Centre

Cessnock Correctional Centre is a minimum and medium-security facility for male offenders located on the Cessnock Correctional Complex. The Complex is located in the Hunter Valley, 151 km north-west of Sydney and includes Hunter and Shortland correctional centres.

Phone

Phone: (02) 4993 2333

Street address

75 Lindsay St
Cessnock NSW 2325

Postal address

PO Box 32
Cessnock NSW 2325

How to get there

Public transport

Rover Coaches runs a limited service from the Rover Depot in Cessnock to the Complex. View a bus timetable for Rover Coaches.

From Cessnock CBD, it is a half-hour walk or 5-minute taxi ride to the Centre.

For other travel information, go to Transport NSW.

Private transport

The entrance to Cessnock Correctional Complex is off Wine Country Drive, turn into Kerlew Street and Left to Occident Street.  The main entry gate is approximately 75 metres on the right.

You may need to enter this information into your navigational device, as currently devices such as Navman and Garman, and mobile phone apps such as Google Maps, appear to use an incorrect access road.

Visitor information

Bookings

Bookings for in-person and video visits are required and can be made online through JUST Connect booking system or via phone through the Visits Booking Line. 

If this is your first time visiting an inmate, you must:

1. call the Visits Bookings Line to request an application form for a Visitor Identification Number (VIN) to be sent to you
2. register with JUST Connect to make a booking by completing the online JUST Connect Application Form.

You can make a booking for the upcoming week by doing either of the following:

• going to the JUST Connect website from Monday 12:00 am to Friday 12:00 pm
• calling the Visits Booking Line on (02) 4993 2285 at the following times:
  • Wednesday and Thursday
    • 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
    • 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
  • Friday
    • 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Visit times

Before travelling to the centre for an in-person visit, please call to confirm your visit and visiting time.

In-person and video/tablet visits take place on Saturday and Sunday (no public holidays) at the following session times:

• 9:00am
• 11:00am
• 12:30pm
• 2:30pm.

In-person visitors must be present for processing at least 30 minutes prior to their scheduled visiting time. 

No in-person visitors will be processed after the visiting start time.

Legal visits

Legal practitioners may visit seven days a week between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm.

Legal practitioners who intend to visit clients on Saturdays and Sundays must obtain written approval via the Governor's or Manager of Security's Office.

You must provide notification of your intention to visit by faxing a letter of appointment to (02) 4993 2282 at least 24 hours before your visit.

For legal visits, we recommend that the representative contact the complex on the morning of the proposed visit. This will allow them to confirm that the centre is still able to facilitate the legal visit, and that their client is still housed at the facility.

Legal practitioners must present their legal identification (Bar Card) upon arrival.  Representatives of law firms must have a letter of introduction from their legal firm.

Conditions of entry

COVID-safety measures apply to in-person visits, make sure you know the rules before you book.

Appropriate dress standards

The visits area is a family environment. You must dress appropriately. This generally means clothes must be respectable and not too provocative.

You cannot wear anything that hides your face, except for religious reasons. In that case you will be asked to remove your face covering temporarily so staff can verify your identity.

Inappropriate dress (PDF, 419.1 KB) includes:

• Clothes that have possibly controversial logos, words or slogans such as:
  • Motorcycle gang 'colours' or gang insignias.
  • Logos or symbols associated with drugs or drug paraphernalia.
  • Swear words.
• Tight or revealing clothing including:
  
  • Tops and dresses that expose the stomach or chest.
  • Swimsuits or skirts or shorts shorter than mid-thigh.
  • Mesh or other "see-through" clothes.
  • Clothes that are excessively dirty, ripped or frayed.
• Heels higher than 5 centimetres.
• Any jewellery other than a plain wedding band, sleepers and studs. This means no engagement ring or any other ring with stones, and no bracelets or necklaces.
• Tops or jumpers with a hood.
• Hats, scarves or head coverings (excluding religious wear).
• Hair scrunchies or clips. Only single elasticated hair ties are allowed.
• Watches, smart watches or activity trackers.
• Bare feet.

Other conditions

Lockers are available for free in the visits waiting area.

Make sure you have appropriate and current photo identification, such as a driver licence or passport.

Concerns about inmate health

You can contact us if you are worried about the health of a family member or friend in custody.

General concerns

If you want to give us mental health information only, call Justice Health NSW Mental Health Helpline on 1800 222 472 – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you want to give information about mental or physical health, or have concerns about access to medication, you can:

• call Justice Health NSW on (02) 9700 3000 between 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
• email JHFMHN-clo@health.nsw.gov.au.

Find out more about the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (Justice Health NSW).

Urgent concerns

If you want to give us urgent or important information so that we can take immediate action for your family member or friend, call the correctional centre on (02) 4993 2333.  Choose option 1 for Cessnock correctional centre, then press 9 to speak to a customer service representative.

Urgent information about your family member or friend might include:

• risks to self, e.g. thoughts of self-harm, thoughts of suicide
• risks to others, e.g. thoughts of harm to others
• acute medical concerns, e.g. heart attack.