The design of the project was developed in close consultation with heritage consultants GML Heritage and responded to the project brief, site opportunities and constraints, as well as the heritage significance of the site.
School Infrastructure NSW conducted investigations to explore claims of an underground prisoner transfer tunnel between the formerCourthouse (located within the school site) and Gaol (located within the TAFE site), but did not find any evidence of a tunnel.
Investigations included:
- ground penetrating radar scans to depths of four metres completed in two areas identified by a member of the public as possible locations for the tunnel
- site investigations undertaken beneath the floor of the former Courthouse building.
The archaeological salvage works also did not uncover any evidence of a tunnel.