Queensland Police Union
Watch-house Data

Queensland watch-houses are in critical WPHS failure

Since 4 March, 26 different watch-houses have recorded a critical Workplace Health and Safety (WPHS) failure (over 100% capacity), on 161 separate days — 1,479 individual readings in critical failure in total.

Latest Data: Sunday 16 August 2026, 06:00
Children in Custody Now
38
15 First Nations children
Children Held for 3 or More Days
20
11 held 3–7 days · 9 over 7
Children Held for More Than 7 Days
9
Longest child stay: 13 days
Held for 3 or More Days
205
Adults + children · 158 held 3–7 days · 47 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
4
85%–100% capacity
Days with a Critical WPHS Failure
161 / 166
Since 4 March
Worst Single Reading
275%
Maryborough Watch-house · 21 Jul, 06:00 · 11 of 4
Held Over 7 Days
47
Plus 158 held 3–7 days · 9 children over 7
Longest Current Stay
15 days
Mackay Watch-house · Longest child: 13 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
Aug2
Aug3
Aug4
Aug5
Aug6
Aug7
Aug8
Aug9
Aug10
Aug11
Aug12
Aug13
Aug14
Aug15
Aug16
Watch-house
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
AM
Maryborough Watch-house
cap 4
175
175
200
125
125
75
50
0
25
75
100
150
150
200
150
175
175
125
125
175
200
75
75
50
100
100
100
100
150
Mount Isa Watch-house
cap 21
119
138
133
105
119
133
138
133
143
143
171
81
100
76
71
76
95
76
95
62
67
52
57
24
33
29
57
52
67
Cairns Watch-house
cap 42
141
143
145
126
124
95
105
81
93
64
88
69
74
88
107
107
117
91
95
60
62
57
50
69
69
74
88
74
100
Dalby Watch-house
cap 6
50
50
50
67
83
50
50
50
50
33
67
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
33
50
50
67
67
67
67
83
133
100
100
Townsville Watch-house
cap 42
105
110
112
95
91
81
93
52
64
45
48
71
69
88
100
112
131
98
105
112
110
93
91
74
91
88
98
91
93
Rockhampton Watch-house
cap 22
86
96
96
96
86
100
82
91
100
73
82
82
86
91
96
109
127
86
91
96
96
73
73
73
64
41
46
59
73
Ipswich District Watch-house
cap 32
94
106
116
97
109
113
75
94
88
109
88
103
75
75
78
84
97
106
106
100
84
94
97
119
94
91
84
94
106
Cleveland Watch-house
cap 8
63
63
63
88
88
100
88
63
75
113
100
88
75
75
50
100
88
100
88
88
63
75
100
100
88
75
88
75
88
Caloundra Watch-house
cap 20
45
55
55
15
40
40
45
60
60
45
60
55
50
50
55
85
90
105
95
85
85
90
90
70
70
60
65
60
50
Brisbane Watch-house
cap 93
84
89
99
90
94
79
80
73
77
74
81
73
83
90
96
97
102
91
89
75
76
87
91
81
88
89
79
86
88
Caboolture Watch-house
cap 31
68
55
52
48
45
58
48
68
58
71
77
55
58
61
65
71
77
45
48
55
68
77
84
84
81
87
97
97
100
Toowoomba Watch-house
cap 23
74
83
96
96
100
87
87
57
57
44
61
48
52
52
78
70
74
57
65
74
70
100
87
70
70
61
96
65
83
Pine Rivers Watch-house
cap 21
38
71
81
57
86
48
67
48
57
38
43
29
38
33
71
71
76
76
86
81
81
76
91
81
95
71
71
71
86
Richlands Watch-house
cap 20
50
65
75
80
70
75
70
50
55
55
55
55
70
80
75
85
90
90
95
70
80
90
85
65
65
60
70
80
75
Hervey Bay Watch-house
cap 10
30
40
40
30
30
10
10
60
60
90
80
50
50
50
70
80
70
70
90
60
50
30
20
0
0
10
10
10
10
Logan District / Beenleigh Watch-house
cap 16
44
44
63
56
56
50
50
75
69
81
88
69
50
50
38
56
75
56
50
38
56
69
63
75
63
50
75
69
63
Wynnum Watch-house
cap 8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
38
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
88
0
0
0
Mackay Watch-house
cap 22
55
50
50
46
59
50
50
55
50
55
55
73
73
77
82
82
86
64
68
55
59
55
64
46
64
59
64
68
82

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
150%
Ipswich District Watch-house cap 32
106%
Caboolture Watch-house cap 31
100%
Cairns Watch-house cap 42
100%
Dalby Watch-house cap 6
100%
Townsville Watch-house cap 42
93%
Brisbane Watch-house cap 93
88%
Cleveland Watch-house cap 8
88%
Pine Rivers Watch-house cap 21
86%
Southport Watch-house cap 69
83%
Toowoomba Watch-house cap 23
83%
Mackay Watch-house cap 22
82%
Richlands Watch-house cap 20
75%
Rockhampton Watch-house cap 22
73%
Gympie Watch-house cap 10
70%
Mount Isa Watch-house cap 21
67%
Logan District / Beenleigh Watch-house cap 16
63%
Caloundra Watch-house cap 20
50%
Mareeba Watch-house cap 12
50%
Maroochydore Watch-house cap 27
48%
Bundaberg Watch-house cap 21
48%
Warwick Watch-house cap 14
36%
Gladstone Watch-house cap 15
27%
Innisfail Watch-house cap 9
22%
Lockhart River Station cap 6
17%
Woorabinda Watch-house cap 7
14%
Ayr Station cap 8
13%
Murgon Watch-house cap 9
11%
Redcliffe Watch-house cap 9
11%
Whitsunday Watch-house cap 9
11%
Hervey Bay Watch-house cap 10
10%
Thursday Island Station cap 10
10%
Aurukun Station cap 12
8%
Mornington Island Watch-house cap 12
8%
Atherton Station cap 5
0%
Bamaga Station cap 6
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%
Gatton Station cap 3
0%
Goondiwindi Station cap 6
0%
Ingham Station cap 6
0%
Kingaroy Watch-house cap 7
0%
Kowanyama Station cap 10
0%
Longreach Watch-house cap 6
0%
Moranbah Station cap 6
0%
Mossman Station cap 12
0%
Normanton Watch-house cap 9
0%
Palm Island Station cap 2
0%
Pormpuraaw Station cap 8
0%
Roma Watch-house cap 8
0%
Saint George Watch-house cap 3
0%
Sandgate Watch-house cap 6
0%
Weipa Station cap 12
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 6 4 150.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Ipswich District Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 34 32 106.3%
16 Aug 06:00
Caboolture Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 31 31 100.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Cairns Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 42 42 100.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Dalby Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 6 6 100.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Townsville Watch-house WPHS alert 39 42 92.9%
16 Aug 06:00
Brisbane Watch-house WPHS alert 82 93 88.2%
16 Aug 06:00
Cleveland Watch-house WPHS alert 7 8 87.5%
16 Aug 06:00
Pine Rivers Watch-house WPHS alert 18 21 85.7%
16 Aug 06:00
Southport Watch-house Within capacity 57 69 82.6%
16 Aug 06:00
Toowoomba Watch-house Within capacity 19 23 82.6%
16 Aug 06:00
Mackay Watch-house Within capacity 18 22 81.8%
16 Aug 06:00
Richlands Watch-house Within capacity 15 20 75.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Rockhampton Watch-house Within capacity 16 22 72.7%
16 Aug 06:00
Gympie Watch-house Within capacity 7 10 70.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Mount Isa Watch-house Within capacity 14 21 66.7%
16 Aug 06:00
Logan District / Beenleigh Watch-house Within capacity 10 16 62.5%
16 Aug 06:00
Caloundra Watch-house Within capacity 10 20 50.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Mareeba Watch-house Within capacity 6 12 50.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Maroochydore Watch-house Within capacity 13 27 48.1%
16 Aug 06:00
Bundaberg Watch-house Within capacity 10 21 47.6%
16 Aug 06:00
Warwick Watch-house Within capacity 5 14 35.7%
16 Aug 06:00
Gladstone Watch-house Within capacity 4 15 26.7%
16 Aug 06:00
Innisfail Watch-house Within capacity 2 9 22.2%
16 Aug 06:00
Lockhart River Station Within capacity 1 6 16.7%
16 Aug 06:00
Woorabinda Watch-house Within capacity 1 7 14.3%
16 Aug 06:00
Ayr Station Within capacity 1 8 12.5%
16 Aug 06:00
Murgon Watch-house Within capacity 1 9 11.1%
16 Aug 06:00
Redcliffe Watch-house Within capacity 1 9 11.1%
16 Aug 06:00
Whitsunday Watch-house Within capacity 1 9 11.1%
16 Aug 06:00
Hervey Bay Watch-house Within capacity 1 10 10.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Thursday Island Station Within capacity 1 10 10.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Aurukun Station Within capacity 1 12 8.3%
16 Aug 06:00
Mornington Island Watch-house Within capacity 1 12 8.3%
16 Aug 06:00
Atherton Station Within capacity 0 5 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Bamaga Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Bowen Station Within capacity 0 4 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Charleville Watch-house Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Charters Towers Station Within capacity 0 5 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Cooktown Station Within capacity 0 3 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Coolangatta Watch-house Within capacity 0 7 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Cunnamulla Watch-house Within capacity 0 4 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Doomadgee Watch-house Within capacity 0 15 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Dunwich Station Within capacity 0 2 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Emerald Watch-house Within capacity 0 5 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Gatton Station Within capacity 0 3 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Goondiwindi Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Ingham Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Kingaroy Watch-house Within capacity 0 7 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Kowanyama Station Within capacity 0 10 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Longreach Watch-house Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Moranbah Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Mossman Station Within capacity 0 12 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Normanton Watch-house Within capacity 0 9 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Palm Island Station Within capacity 0 2 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Pormpuraaw Station Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Roma Watch-house Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Saint George Watch-house Within capacity 0 3 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Sandgate Watch-house Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Weipa Station Within capacity 0 12 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Wynnum Watch-house Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
Yarrabah Station Within capacity 0 7 0.0%
16 Aug 06:00
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.