Editing HM Prison Fairlea (section)

==Closure==
Within ten years of the rebuilding, a change of Government led to the demise of Fairlea. The new Liberal Government began the [[privatisation]] of the prison system and as a result private contractors won the right to administer the women's prison system. A new privately run prison, the [[Dame Phyllis Frost Centre|Metropolitan Women's Correctional Centre]] was built at [[Deer Park, Victoria|Deer Park]] and during the course of 1996 the inmates of Fairlea Prison were transferred across to the new facility.<ref name="Albany" /> The Metropolitan Women's Correctional Centre was returned to government control in 2000.<ref>{{cite web
  | last = Justice Victoria
  | author-link = Department of Justice (Victoria)
  | title = Prison Profiles - Dame Phyllis Frost Centre
  | url = http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/DOJ+Internet/Home/Prisons/Prisons+in+Victoria/JUSTICE+-+Prison+Profiles+-+Dame+Phyllis+Frost+Centre
  | accessdate = 2009-05-16
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090525122721/http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/DOJ+Internet/Home/Prisons/Prisons+in+Victoria/JUSTICE+-+Prison+Profiles+-+Dame+Phyllis+Frost+Centre
  | archive-date = 25 May 2009
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref>

Fairlea Women's Prison finally closed in August 1996, with the majority of structures demolished shortly thereafter.  The basketball courts, [[Parks Victoria]] Office, and the adjacent building are the only structural remains of Fairlea,<ref name=walk/> with the remaining grounds returned to parkland.<ref>{{cite press release
  | title = Development plan decision improves parkland for Fairfield
  | publisher = Offices of the Ministers for Planning and Local Government and Conservation and Land Management
  | date = 20 October 1997
  }}</ref> Fairlea Road and the Fairlea East and Fairlea West ovals identify the former prison site.  During its forty years of operation nearly 18,000 female inmates served time at Fairlea Women's Prison.<ref name="Albany" />  Fairlea is registered with [[Heritage Victoria]] and given the register number VHR H1552.<ref>{{cite web
  | last = Heritage Victoria
  | author-link = Heritage Victoria
  | title = Fairlea {{sic|Womens|nolink=y}} Prison
  | url = http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/heritage/442
  | accessdate = 2009-05-16}}</ref>