Bunbury Regional Prison is located on Centenary Road, College Grove, Bunbury WA 6230. Postal address: PO Box 444, Bunbury WA 6230.
Contact Details
Phone: 08 9795 2155
Fax: 08 9795 7191
Official visits email: BunburyOfficialVisits@justice.wa.gov.au
About the Prison
Bunbury Regional Prison is the largest regional prison in Western Australia and the primary custodial facility for the South West region. It is a multi-security prison for adult males, holding remand prisoners, short-term maximum-security prisoners, medium-security sentenced prisoners, and minimum-security prisoners across separate units. Unit 1 is the maximum-security remand unit, accommodating those held in custody pending court appearances at Bunbury Courthouse or elsewhere in the South West. Units 2, 3 and 6 are medium-security. Units 5 and the Pre-Release Unit (PRU) are minimum-security, with the PRU situated externally adjacent to the main prison. It is described by the Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services as one of the busiest prisons in WA in terms of program delivery.
If Someone Is on Remand at Bunbury
A person held in Unit 1 on remand has not been convicted of anything. Remand means bail was refused or not properly pursued. This is the stage where legal intervention has the most immediate impact — a lawyer can make a fresh bail application, particularly where circumstances have changed, where new surety is available, or where the original application was made without adequate representation. Time spent on remand is not neutral: it disrupts employment, housing, and family, and in some cases can be counted toward a sentence but only if the matter proceeds to conviction. Getting bail right at this stage matters enormously.
Court Appearances from Bunbury Prison
Prisoners held at Bunbury regularly appear at Bunbury Courthouse, which sits as both a Magistrates Court and a District Court registry. For those with upcoming court dates — whether for mentions, pleas, hearings, or sentencing — legal representation should be arranged well before the listing date. A lawyer who has reviewed the prosecution brief and is prepared for the specific listing is in a fundamentally different position from one engaged at the last moment.
Sentenced Prisoners — Parole and Classification
For sentenced prisoners at Bunbury, the two most commonly arising legal issues are parole and security classification. Parole applications to the Prisoners Review Board require careful preparation — the Board’s decision directly determines when a prisoner is released and under what conditions. A poorly presented application, or one that does not adequately address the Board’s concerns about risk or reintegration planning, can result in extended time in custody. Security classification also affects the programs available, the unit a prisoner is placed in, and their pathway toward eventual pre-release placement. Where a classification decision appears inconsistent with a prisoner’s conduct and progress, there are internal review processes that a lawyer can advise on.
Appeals
Time limits for appeals against conviction or sentence run from the date of the original decision, not from the date of transfer to Bunbury. If grounds exist to challenge a conviction or argue that a sentence was disproportionate, those options need to be explored without delay.
Visiting Bunbury Regional Prison
All visits are by appointment only. Visitors must produce identification on arrival and are subject to personal and vehicle searches including drug detection dogs. The prison is approximately 15 minutes from Bunbury town centre with visitor parking available.
Our criminal lawyers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1300 331 331 for a free first consultation.