The site chosen, Avon Location 110, was an area of Crown land measuring just over 18 hectares (45 acres).

[1] The previous depot had only ever been a temporary arrangement born of necessity when accommodation was required at short notice.

[2] All convict hiring depots were built according to a similar basic plan, although variations occurred due to the lay of the land and other circumstances unique to the area.

Du Cane was advised to travel regularly from one depot site to another, especially during the early years of construction.

[6] Du Cane was made a Visiting Magistrate in September 1852 to ensure that punishment for offences committed would be administered within an appropriate time frame.

The 20th Regiment of Sappers and Miners of the Royal Engineers began arriving at the end of 1852, their task being to supervise the development of infrastructure necessary to the new convict system.

Sappers who were trained blacksmiths, carpenters and stonemasons would be of immense value during the construction of convict hiring depots.

Lionel Lukin, who resided on the adjacent property of "Deepdale", was one such man appointed to the Toodyay Convict Hiring Depot.

Construction of the new Toodyay Convict Hiring Depot began immediately after the appointment of Du Cane.

Throughout 1852, Du Cane was assisted in Toodyay by Corporal Joseph Nelson and six other sappers who were acting as instructing warders.

A nearby permanent spring supplied additional water when the well almost ran dry at the end of summer.

A large waterproof tent furnished with tables and stretchers provided temporary accommodation for the ticket-of-leave holders.

The straw huts were subsequently replaced by other temporary, but more substantial dwellings, made of Swan River mahogany (jarrah) boards.

He thoroughly disapproved of one of the sappers' quarters having been built prior to organizing more permanent accommodation for the ticket-of-leave holders, especially as winter rains were approaching.

Some were fortunate enough to gain paid employment within the depot as cooks, bakers, cleaners and later as police constables.

Nevertheless, the number of men at the hiring depot very much depended on the arrival of ships with convicts on board who, on obtaining their ticket-of-leave, needed to find work.

The blacksmith was most essential to depot construction for it was he who repaired tools, made hinges, nails, bolts and chains when necessary.

[1]: 59–65 During 1855, Rev Charles Harper began building a chaplain's quarters on Glebe Land, Lot 111, adjacent to the new depot.

Enrolled Pensioner Guards in Toodyay were allocated thirteen allotments situated as closely as possible to the new depot.

Towards the end of winter 1853, large straw huts were erected on four of the new allotments so that some of the men might come and live on their land and cultivate it while their cottages were being built.

[1]: 27 As work progressed at the depot sites, Du Cane increasingly turned his attention to road development.

Early attempts to improve Toodyay Road proved unsuccessful due to poor supervision of the work carried out by the ticket-of-leave holders labouring on-site.

On 30 November 1856, Governor Arthur Kennedy gave the order to close both the York and Toodyay Convict Hiring Depots.

Staff numbers were reduced to a senior assistant superintendent, a sapper and a probationary convict prisoner acting as the hospital orderly.

Construction of the Guildford and York Convict Hiring Depots had progressed at much the same rate as that at Toodyay and, by the end of 1855, the entire building project was almost complete.

However, in order to receive an increased number of ticket-of-leave holders, new barracks were built to accommodate 200 men at the Guildford depot.

In August 1859, Assistant Surveyor William Phelps marked out another sixteen suburban allotments, S14-S29, some of which were taken up by Pensioner Guards.

Both ticket-of-leave men and probationary convicts were now accommodated at the barracks, their sleeping quarters separated by what was termed the ‘Division’.

Both probationary convicts and ticket-of-leave holders in depot were assigned to roadmaking and whatever public works were required in the district.

On 16 February 1872, Henry Wakeford issued a memorandum for the Toodyay Convict Hiring Depot to be closed.