Queensland Police Union
Watch-house Data

Queensland watch-houses are in critical WPHS failure

Since 4 March, 30 different watch-houses have recorded a critical Workplace Health and Safety (WPHS) failure (over 100% capacity), on 221 separate days — 2,168 individual readings in critical failure in total.

Latest Data: Thursday 15 October 2026, 18:00
Children in Custody Now
47
26 First Nations children
Children Held for 3 or More Days
33
14 held 3–7 days · 19 over 7
Children Held for More Than 7 Days
19
Longest child stay: 17 days
Held for 3 or More Days
236
Adults + children · 181 held 3–7 days · 55 over 7

Children & Length of Stay

Adults and children are being held in watch-houses for periods that often exceed the CJC’s recommended three-day maximum; using the dropdown below, you can select individual watch-houses or combine them to view this trend.

Adults in Custody

Children in Custody

Adults - Time in Custody

Children - Time in Custody

Note: the adult and children charts use different vertical scales so children's trends stay readable. Gaps mark dates where QPS published totals but no breakdown data exists.

Critical WPHS Failure Now
5
Watch-houses above 100% capacity
WPHS Alert Now
3
85%–100% capacity
Days with a Critical WPHS Failure
221 / 226
Since 4 March
Worst Single Reading
275%
Maryborough Watch-house · 21 Jul, 06:00 · 11 of 4
Held Over 7 Days
55
Plus 181 held 3–7 days · 19 children over 7
Longest Current Stay
17 days
Brisbane Watch-house · Longest child: 17 days

Watch-house Occupancy Over Time

By default, only watch-houses above the 85% alert threshold are shown; the dropdown below lets you select everyone, adults, children, and choose individual or combined watch-houses.

Explore the Data – All Prisoners

Switch between views — the same data, shown the way that suits you. Every cell, bar and point is coloured to highlight capacity. QPS publish two snapshots per day — 06:00 (AM) and 18:00 (PM).

Week Fortnight Month All
Oct1
Oct2
Oct3
Oct4
Oct5
Oct6
Oct7
Oct8
Oct9
Oct10
Oct11
Oct12
Oct13
Oct14
Oct15
Watch-house
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
Maryborough Watch-house
cap 4
25
25
25
25
100
100
125
125
100
100
125
100
100
125
125
100
125
125
175
175
200
175
150
150
175
175
175
175
200
Cairns Watch-house
cap 42
121
145
98
98
112
117
121
124
148
157
169
167
124
129
100
110
88
100
98
105
119
121
110
117
98
98
91
105
117
Logan District / Beenleigh Watch-house
cap 16
81
94
100
88
88
94
88
94
113
113
119
138
100
113
106
88
106
125
100
113
138
144
125
81
106
88
75
81
81
Mount Isa Watch-house
cap 21
91
100
62
81
91
86
91
91
86
86
76
76
105
105
114
114
105
110
110
114
119
114
129
138
138
138
124
119
105
Ipswich District Watch-house
cap 32
78
97
116
100
88
94
109
100
94
106
113
113
113
122
138
116
131
106
116
119
125
128
131
128
122
113
138
119
106
Townsville Watch-house
cap 42
93
107
107
98
98
107
124
126
117
119
117
114
76
86
71
76
69
79
95
98
107
121
121
124
129
136
117
107
100
Dalby Watch-house
cap 6
17
17
17
17
50
67
83
100
100
117
117
117
100
133
100
100
50
83
50
67
100
83
83
100
83
83
67
67
67
Rockhampton Watch-house
cap 22
86
96
77
96
77
91
105
123
123
127
123
127
114
114
77
105
68
86
77
82
91
91
68
68
50
55
46
46
64
Richlands Watch-house
cap 20
95
95
90
85
100
105
110
85
90
90
85
100
110
115
100
105
95
75
80
90
110
125
85
100
80
85
90
95
70
Brisbane Watch-house
cap 93
84
91
84
83
85
93
99
101
101
99
86
88
85
88
86
85
77
88
100
110
117
116
117
122
100
102
91
96
77
Caboolture Watch-house
cap 31
58
55
48
61
71
87
87
94
90
94
87
90
81
81
74
81
68
65
65
74
103
103
113
119
87
84
77
77
81
Toowoomba Watch-house
cap 23
74
78
87
87
83
96
91
113
109
104
78
87
87
87
87
96
61
65
83
100
104
109
100
100
83
91
96
100
91
Innisfail Watch-house
cap 9
89
78
78
78
89
89
89
89
111
100
22
33
33
22
22
22
22
22
11
11
22
22
22
22
0
0
33
22
33
Maroochydore Watch-house
cap 27
41
41
30
56
63
70
70
82
78
85
74
78
48
52
48
56
59
59
74
78
107
74
56
63
52
59
74
82
85
Mackay Watch-house
cap 22
41
55
59
64
59
64
64
73
68
73
77
77
50
46
36
41
36
50
59
59
68
64
96
105
77
86
86
86
73
Cleveland Watch-house
cap 8
63
75
75
88
63
88
88
63
63
75
75
88
88
88
88
88
63
50
50
63
88
100
75
75
100
100
100
63
88
Coolangatta Watch-house
cap 7
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
100
86
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
0
0
0
0
0
Palm Island Station
cap 2
0
0
0
0
0
50
0
0
0
50
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
100
0
50
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Southport Watch-house
cap 69
51
71
55
64
70
77
81
87
91
96
86
87
86
86
93
91
80
87
81
87
94
94
70
78
71
75
65
71
71
Bundaberg Watch-house
cap 21
52
52
29
33
38
52
48
48
43
43
14
24
57
57
62
71
57
62
81
81
91
95
57
67
48
52
57
62
67
Pine Rivers Watch-house
cap 21
76
76
67
86
76
81
81
95
86
95
76
81
71
81
86
86
62
62
76
76
91
91
95
95
86
91
81
81
76
Caloundra Watch-house
cap 20
45
45
35
35
30
30
30
80
75
75
70
70
50
50
25
65
60
70
70
65
50
95
90
90
90
90
75
75
60
Murgon Watch-house
cap 9
0
11
22
22
11
33
44
67
89
89
44
67
78
67
78
78
89
89
67
67
67
67
78
78
78
89
89
89
56

Each watch-house's most recent published occupancy, ranked highest first. The dashed line marks 100% capacity; anything past it is over capacity.

Maryborough Watch-house cap 4
200%
Cairns Watch-house cap 42
117%
Ipswich District Watch-house cap 32
106%
Mount Isa Watch-house cap 21
105%
Townsville Watch-house cap 42
100%
Toowoomba Watch-house cap 23
91%
Cleveland Watch-house cap 8
88%
Maroochydore Watch-house cap 27
85%
Logan District / Beenleigh Watch-house cap 16
81%
Caboolture Watch-house cap 31
81%
Brisbane Watch-house cap 93
77%
Pine Rivers Watch-house cap 21
76%
Mackay Watch-house cap 22
73%
Kingaroy Watch-house cap 7
71%
Southport Watch-house cap 69
71%
Richlands Watch-house cap 20
70%
Bundaberg Watch-house cap 21
67%
Dalby Watch-house cap 6
67%
Gladstone Watch-house cap 15
67%
Rockhampton Watch-house cap 22
64%
Caloundra Watch-house cap 20
60%
Murgon Watch-house cap 9
56%
Gympie Watch-house cap 10
50%
Hervey Bay Watch-house cap 10
50%
Warwick Watch-house cap 14
50%
Gatton Station cap 3
33%
Innisfail Watch-house cap 9
33%
Kowanyama Station cap 10
20%
Aurukun Station cap 12
17%
Bamaga Station cap 6
17%
Mareeba Watch-house cap 12
17%
Ayr Station cap 8
13%
Normanton Watch-house cap 9
11%
Whitsunday Watch-house cap 9
11%
Weipa Station cap 12
8%
Atherton Station cap 5
0%
Bowen Station cap 4
0%
Charleville Watch-house cap 8
0%
Charters Towers Station cap 5
0%
Cooktown Station cap 3
0%
Coolangatta Watch-house cap 7
0%
Cunnamulla Watch-house cap 4
0%
Doomadgee Watch-house cap 15
0%
Dunwich Station cap 2
0%
Emerald Watch-house cap 5
0%
Goondiwindi Station cap 6
0%
Ingham Station cap 6
0%
Lockhart River Station cap 6
0%
Longreach Watch-house cap 6
0%
Moranbah Station cap 6
0%
Mornington Island Watch-house cap 12
0%
Mossman Station cap 12
0%
Palm Island Station cap 2
0%
Pormpuraaw Station cap 8
0%
Redcliffe Watch-house cap 9
0%
Roma Watch-house cap 8
0%
Saint George Watch-house cap 3
0%
Sandgate Watch-house cap 6
0%
Thursday Island Station cap 10
0%
Woorabinda Watch-house cap 7
0%
Wynnum Watch-house cap 8
0%
Yarrabah Station cap 7
0%

Indicates, for each day, how many watch-houses reached WPHS alert (85–100%) or critical failure (over 100%). Taller stacks reflect more watch-houses operating above safe limits.

Most recent published count for every watch-house, ranked by occupancy. Empty rows mean QPS has not published a recent figure.

Watch-house Prisoners Capacity % capacity   As at
Maryborough Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 8 4 200.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Cairns Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 49 42 116.7%
15 Oct 18:00
Ipswich District Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 34 32 106.3%
15 Oct 18:00
Mount Isa Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 22 21 104.8%
15 Oct 18:00
Townsville Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 42 42 100.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Toowoomba Watch-house WPHS alert 21 23 91.3%
15 Oct 18:00
Cleveland Watch-house WPHS alert 7 8 87.5%
15 Oct 18:00
Maroochydore Watch-house WPHS alert 23 27 85.2%
15 Oct 18:00
Logan District / Beenleigh Watch-house Within capacity 13 16 81.3%
15 Oct 18:00
Caboolture Watch-house Within capacity 25 31 80.6%
15 Oct 18:00
Brisbane Watch-house Within capacity 72 93 77.4%
15 Oct 18:00
Pine Rivers Watch-house Within capacity 16 21 76.2%
15 Oct 18:00
Mackay Watch-house Within capacity 16 22 72.7%
15 Oct 18:00
Kingaroy Watch-house Within capacity 5 7 71.4%
15 Oct 18:00
Southport Watch-house Within capacity 49 69 71.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Richlands Watch-house Within capacity 14 20 70.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Bundaberg Watch-house Within capacity 14 21 66.7%
15 Oct 18:00
Dalby Watch-house Within capacity 4 6 66.7%
15 Oct 18:00
Gladstone Watch-house Within capacity 10 15 66.7%
15 Oct 18:00
Rockhampton Watch-house Within capacity 14 22 63.6%
15 Oct 18:00
Caloundra Watch-house Within capacity 12 20 60.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Murgon Watch-house Within capacity 5 9 55.6%
15 Oct 18:00
Gympie Watch-house Within capacity 5 10 50.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Hervey Bay Watch-house Within capacity 5 10 50.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Warwick Watch-house Within capacity 7 14 50.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Gatton Station Within capacity 1 3 33.3%
15 Oct 18:00
Innisfail Watch-house Within capacity 3 9 33.3%
15 Oct 18:00
Kowanyama Station Within capacity 2 10 20.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Aurukun Station Within capacity 2 12 16.7%
15 Oct 18:00
Bamaga Station Within capacity 1 6 16.7%
15 Oct 18:00
Mareeba Watch-house Within capacity 2 12 16.7%
15 Oct 18:00
Ayr Station Within capacity 1 8 12.5%
15 Oct 18:00
Normanton Watch-house Within capacity 1 9 11.1%
15 Oct 18:00
Whitsunday Watch-house Within capacity 1 9 11.1%
15 Oct 18:00
Weipa Station Within capacity 1 12 8.3%
15 Oct 18:00
Atherton Station Within capacity 0 5 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Bowen Station Within capacity 0 4 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Charleville Watch-house Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Charters Towers Station Within capacity 0 5 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Cooktown Station Within capacity 0 3 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Coolangatta Watch-house Within capacity 0 7 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Cunnamulla Watch-house Within capacity 0 4 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Doomadgee Watch-house Within capacity 0 15 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Dunwich Station Within capacity 0 2 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Emerald Watch-house Within capacity 0 5 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Goondiwindi Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Ingham Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Lockhart River Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Longreach Watch-house Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Moranbah Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Mornington Island Watch-house Within capacity 0 12 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Mossman Station Within capacity 0 12 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Palm Island Station Within capacity 0 2 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Pormpuraaw Station Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Redcliffe Watch-house Within capacity 0 9 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Roma Watch-house Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Saint George Watch-house Within capacity 0 3 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Sandgate Watch-house Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Thursday Island Station Within capacity 0 10 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Woorabinda Watch-house Within capacity 0 7 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Wynnum Watch-house Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Yarrabah Station Within capacity 0 7 0.0%
15 Oct 18:00
Within capacity (under 85%) WPHS alert (85%–100%) Critical WPHS failure (over 100%) No data

Download a Watch-house Report

Select a watch-house to generate a one-page PDF summary showing capacity, occupancy over time, peak levels, time in custody, and breach history.

Workplace Safety Alert

Watch-house capacity data published below has been obtained from the official QPS public website (QPS Watch-house data).

QPU has serious concerns for member safety in Watch-houses which operate above 100% capacity.

Current data shows that on average 70% of all prisoners held in QPS custody are Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) prisoners, not police prisoners.

This directly contradicts long standing recommendations. As far back as 1996, a Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) report recommended that QCS prisoners should not be held in police watch-houses for longer than three days. This position was reaffirmed in 2025 through the QPS 100 Day Review, authored by the current Acting Police Commissioner.

Despite this, watch-house data continues to highlight unsafe working environments in which QPS officers are required to operate daily managing QCS prisoners.

The QPU calls on the QPS Executive Leadership Team to immediately address this issue and stop practices that knowingly expose officers to unsafe workplaces.