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 216 separate days — 2,078 individual readings in critical failure in total.

Latest Data: Saturday 10 October 2026, 06:00
Children in Custody Now
42
20 First Nations children
Children Held for 3 or More Days
28
12 held 3–7 days · 16 over 7
Children Held for More Than 7 Days
16
Longest child stay: 16 days
Held for 3 or More Days
216
Adults + children · 160 held 3–7 days · 56 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
7
Watch-houses above 100% capacity
WPHS Alert Now
4
85%–100% capacity
Days with a Critical WPHS Failure
216 / 221
Since 4 March
Worst Single Reading
275%
Maryborough Watch-house · 21 Jul, 06:00 · 11 of 4
Held Over 7 Days
56
Plus 160 held 3–7 days · 16 children over 7
Longest Current Stay
16 days
Southport Watch-house · Longest child: 16 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
Sep26
Sep27
Sep28
Sep29
Sep30
Oct1
Oct2
Oct3
Oct4
Oct5
Oct6
Oct7
Oct8
Oct9
Oct10
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
Cairns Watch-house
cap 42
114
121
121
131
136
107
124
129
129
121
110
121
145
98
98
112
117
121
124
148
157
169
167
124
129
100
110
88
100
Townsville Watch-house
cap 42
105
114
124
138
148
138
152
91
91
86
88
93
107
107
98
98
107
124
126
117
119
117
114
76
86
71
76
69
79
Logan District / Beenleigh Watch-house
cap 16
88
81
94
100
119
138
119
119
100
150
113
81
94
100
88
88
94
88
94
113
113
119
138
100
113
106
88
106
125
Mount Isa Watch-house
cap 21
143
110
124
138
148
133
148
95
105
86
81
91
100
62
81
91
86
91
91
86
86
76
76
105
105
114
114
105
110
Rockhampton Watch-house
cap 22
100
118
114
136
146
118
123
91
100
96
100
86
96
77
96
77
91
105
123
123
127
123
127
114
114
77
105
68
86
Ipswich District Watch-house
cap 32
81
88
100
100
106
94
72
88
91
91
78
78
97
116
100
88
94
109
100
94
106
113
113
113
122
138
116
131
106
Dalby Watch-house
cap 6
83
83
83
83
83
50
50
33
67
50
67
17
17
17
17
50
67
83
100
100
117
117
117
100
133
100
100
50
83
Maryborough Watch-house
cap 4
50
50
50
75
75
100
125
75
75
100
50
25
25
25
25
100
100
125
125
100
100
125
100
100
125
125
100
125
125
Toowoomba Watch-house
cap 23
61
70
78
100
100
117
100
113
83
74
78
74
78
87
87
83
96
91
113
109
104
78
87
87
87
87
96
61
65
Richlands Watch-house
cap 20
75
95
95
95
95
105
105
105
105
110
115
95
95
90
85
100
105
110
85
90
90
85
100
110
115
100
105
95
75
Innisfail Watch-house
cap 9
0
33
33
44
56
56
56
11
11
22
89
89
78
78
78
89
89
89
89
111
100
22
33
33
22
22
22
22
22
Brisbane Watch-house
cap 93
76
80
83
93
91
87
91
77
72
66
79
84
91
84
83
85
93
99
101
101
99
86
88
85
88
86
85
77
88
Coolangatta Watch-house
cap 7
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
100
86
100
Gympie Watch-house
cap 10
30
40
30
40
40
40
40
100
70
70
80
70
60
30
30
30
50
70
50
50
50
60
80
70
80
70
30
60
60
Palm Island Station
cap 2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
50
0
0
0
50
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
100
Southport Watch-house
cap 69
71
80
86
93
96
90
78
58
65
46
59
51
71
55
64
70
77
81
87
91
96
86
87
86
86
93
91
80
87
Pine Rivers Watch-house
cap 21
81
81
81
81
81
67
86
71
81
71
86
76
76
67
86
76
81
81
95
86
95
76
81
71
81
86
86
62
62
Caboolture Watch-house
cap 31
52
48
48
52
55
48
55
52
58
65
55
58
55
48
61
71
87
87
94
90
94
87
90
81
81
74
81
68
65
Mareeba Watch-house
cap 12
8
42
33
42
42
67
67
17
25
75
92
50
58
75
83
75
75
75
75
83
83
67
67
58
58
42
42
33
42
Murgon Watch-house
cap 9
0
11
22
44
44
33
33
11
22
11
0
0
11
22
22
11
33
44
67
89
89
44
67
78
67
78
78
89
89
Cleveland Watch-house
cap 8
50
50
50
88
88
75
75
63
88
63
63
63
75
75
88
63
88
88
63
63
75
75
88
88
88
88
88
63
50
Maroochydore Watch-house
cap 27
52
48
56
63
63
59
85
63
70
44
44
41
41
30
56
63
70
70
82
78
85
74
78
48
52
48
56
59
59

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

Logan District / Beenleigh Watch-house cap 16
125%
Maryborough Watch-house cap 4
125%
Mount Isa Watch-house cap 21
110%
Ipswich District Watch-house cap 32
106%
Cairns Watch-house cap 42
100%
Coolangatta Watch-house cap 7
100%
Palm Island Station cap 2
100%
Murgon Watch-house cap 9
89%
Brisbane Watch-house cap 93
88%
Southport Watch-house cap 69
87%
Rockhampton Watch-house cap 22
86%
Dalby Watch-house cap 6
83%
Townsville Watch-house cap 42
79%
Richlands Watch-house cap 20
75%
Caloundra Watch-house cap 20
70%
Toowoomba Watch-house cap 23
65%
Caboolture Watch-house cap 31
65%
Bundaberg Watch-house cap 21
62%
Pine Rivers Watch-house cap 21
62%
Gympie Watch-house cap 10
60%
Maroochydore Watch-house cap 27
59%
Cleveland Watch-house cap 8
50%
Lockhart River Station cap 6
50%
Mackay Watch-house cap 22
50%
Mossman Station cap 12
50%
Mareeba Watch-house cap 12
42%
Emerald Watch-house cap 5
40%
Warwick Watch-house cap 14
36%
Cooktown Station cap 3
33%
Hervey Bay Watch-house cap 10
30%
Innisfail Watch-house cap 9
22%
Gladstone Watch-house cap 15
20%
Longreach Watch-house cap 6
17%
Whitsunday Watch-house cap 9
11%
Mornington Island Watch-house cap 12
8%
Atherton Station cap 5
0%
Aurukun Station cap 12
0%
Ayr Station cap 8
0%
Bamaga Station cap 6
0%
Bowen Station cap 4
0%
Charleville Watch-house cap 8
0%
Charters Towers Station cap 5
0%
Cunnamulla Watch-house cap 4
0%
Doomadgee Watch-house cap 15
0%
Dunwich Station cap 2
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%
Moranbah Station cap 6
0%
Normanton Watch-house cap 9
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%
Weipa Station cap 12
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
Logan District / Beenleigh Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 20 16 125.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Maryborough Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 5 4 125.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Mount Isa Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 23 21 109.5%
10 Oct 06:00
Ipswich District Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 34 32 106.3%
10 Oct 06:00
Cairns Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 42 42 100.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Coolangatta Watch-house Critical WPHS failure 7 7 100.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Palm Island Station Critical WPHS failure 2 2 100.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Murgon Watch-house WPHS alert 8 9 88.9%
10 Oct 06:00
Brisbane Watch-house WPHS alert 82 93 88.2%
10 Oct 06:00
Southport Watch-house WPHS alert 60 69 87.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Rockhampton Watch-house WPHS alert 19 22 86.4%
10 Oct 06:00
Dalby Watch-house Within capacity 5 6 83.3%
10 Oct 06:00
Townsville Watch-house Within capacity 33 42 78.6%
10 Oct 06:00
Richlands Watch-house Within capacity 15 20 75.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Caloundra Watch-house Within capacity 14 20 70.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Toowoomba Watch-house Within capacity 15 23 65.2%
10 Oct 06:00
Caboolture Watch-house Within capacity 20 31 64.5%
10 Oct 06:00
Bundaberg Watch-house Within capacity 13 21 61.9%
10 Oct 06:00
Pine Rivers Watch-house Within capacity 13 21 61.9%
10 Oct 06:00
Gympie Watch-house Within capacity 6 10 60.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Maroochydore Watch-house Within capacity 16 27 59.3%
10 Oct 06:00
Cleveland Watch-house Within capacity 4 8 50.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Lockhart River Station Within capacity 3 6 50.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Mackay Watch-house Within capacity 11 22 50.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Mossman Station Within capacity 6 12 50.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Mareeba Watch-house Within capacity 5 12 41.7%
10 Oct 06:00
Emerald Watch-house Within capacity 2 5 40.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Warwick Watch-house Within capacity 5 14 35.7%
10 Oct 06:00
Cooktown Station Within capacity 1 3 33.3%
10 Oct 06:00
Hervey Bay Watch-house Within capacity 3 10 30.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Innisfail Watch-house Within capacity 2 9 22.2%
10 Oct 06:00
Gladstone Watch-house Within capacity 3 15 20.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Longreach Watch-house Within capacity 1 6 16.7%
10 Oct 06:00
Whitsunday Watch-house Within capacity 1 9 11.1%
10 Oct 06:00
Mornington Island Watch-house Within capacity 1 12 8.3%
10 Oct 06:00
Atherton Station Within capacity 0 5 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Aurukun Station Within capacity 0 12 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Ayr Station Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Bamaga Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Bowen Station Within capacity 0 4 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Charleville Watch-house Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Charters Towers Station Within capacity 0 5 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Cunnamulla Watch-house Within capacity 0 4 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Doomadgee Watch-house Within capacity 0 15 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Dunwich Station Within capacity 0 2 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Gatton Station Within capacity 0 3 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Goondiwindi Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Ingham Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Kingaroy Watch-house Within capacity 0 7 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Kowanyama Station Within capacity 0 10 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Moranbah Station Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Normanton Watch-house Within capacity 0 9 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Pormpuraaw Station Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Redcliffe Watch-house Within capacity 0 9 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Roma Watch-house Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Saint George Watch-house Within capacity 0 3 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Sandgate Watch-house Within capacity 0 6 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Thursday Island Station Within capacity 0 10 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Weipa Station Within capacity 0 12 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Woorabinda Watch-house Within capacity 0 7 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Wynnum Watch-house Within capacity 0 8 0.0%
10 Oct 06:00
Yarrabah Station Within capacity 0 7 0.0%
10 Oct 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.