Located on Annerley Road in Dutton Park, an inner southern suburb of Brisbane, it is the only surviving intact gaol in Queensland that reflects penological principles of the 19th century.

Another theory is that Boggo (or "Bloggo" or "Bolgo") was a corruption of an Aboriginal word meaning 'two leaning trees', and that the road was named after two prominent trees at either One-Mile Swamp or what is now Wilkins Street, off Annerley Road.

[5][4] The first cellblock opened on 2 July 1883,[6] built by Robert Porter, contained 57 cells, and was constructed using materials from the demolished Petrie Terrace Jail.

2 Division, and is now the only section still standing, and is listed on the Queensland State Heritage Register.

[7] Prisoners were required to use a bucket through the evening for toilet breaks and empty it, or "slop out", in the morning.

1 division was closed in 1992 and was demolished in 1996 (a small section of what was "C5" and guard tower still remain).

2 Division was home to the Boggo Road Gaol Museum, which featured displays of prison-related artefacts.

[10][11] Like many other similar places around the country, the site also hosts guided ghost tours.

In 1993, Boggo Road Gaol hosted the concert "Jailhouse Rock", which included bands such as Divinyls, Rose Tattoo, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, Spy Vs Spy and Powderfinger.

[62] Boggo Road is also the setting for the second episode of the sixth season of the American reality show The Mole.

Eli Bell, the protagonist of the novel and Netflix series Boy Swallows Universe breaks into the prison to visit his mother Frankie on Christmas Day.