When complete the facility will be home to 1050 inmates, almost a third more than prior to the upgrade.

The 200-bed minimum-security wing which was also part of the overall 360 bed expansion and home to the Corrective Services Industries building and High Intensity Programs Unit, was officially opened in September last year.

The expansion will see an additional 120 jobs at the South Nowra facility.

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Ninety will be in the custodial side, six industrial services staff, while there will be additional employees in maintenance and civilian staff providing educational, administration and other services.

Governor Mick Reid said Corrections expects to take delivery of the new maximum-security wing from contractors Lendlease by the end of May.

Already new audio visual link (AVL) facilities, where inmates can appear in court via video link, and a satellite health clinic have been handed over by contractors.

The new AVL unit boasts eight suites, with a total of 15 AVL units as part of the overall upgrade.

The new unit also includes eight computer bays where inmates can access their briefs or correspond with their solicitors, a number of holding cells and a holding yard.

This new system will officially come on line on Friday morning.

The satellite health clinic will have its own staff and includes a number of consulting and interview rooms and three additional AVL suites.

The clinic is designed to take some of the pressure of the prison’s main health facilities. A small inmate and staff training area has also been incorporated.

The new maximum-security facilities can cater for 120 inmates - eight separate pods make up the facility, each housing 20 inmates.

Each pod has its own small activities area comprising a basketball court, some gym and exercise equipment and a grassed area.

The cells are single or shared holding up to two inmates.

All inmates have the ability to buy their own electrical items like televisions, jugs, and a small toaster.

Governor Reid said staff were preparing the facilities for their first intake of inmates, who will come from around the state.

The media, Kiama MP Gareth Ward and John Ajaka MLC and centre personnel toured the new facility on Thursday.

“It’s a chance for us to have a look through the facility as well,” Governor Reid said.

“It’s all flash and new and untouched at this stage. We have installed our computers and electronic equipment and we are almost ready to accept our first inmates when we get the nod.

“Until then we will continue our planning and our classifications of inmates and the type of cohort we will be accepting here.”

He said there were several different cohorts or classifications within maximum-security and classification would dictate what was needed at the time to facilitate the inmates that arrive.

“The main difference between minimum and maximum-security is the security of the facility,” he said.

“Maximum-security is behind a sterile zone wall, an exterior wall, with electronic security barriers in between. Minimum-security is a lesser secure facility on the outside the external wall, and the out of cell time is different.

“Minimum-security inmates have 10 hours out of cell a day and maximum-security only seven.”

He said the new inmates would be coming from the jail populations around the state.

“Inmates will come from other facilities,” he said “with the refurbishment of 12 jails across the state there is a need to shuffle some of those inmates around from time to time to allow works to progress in other centres. Classification will let us know who we will receive.”

Mr Ward said the expansion was a good economic boost for the region.

“Corrective Services NSW is a proud employer in the Shoalhaven region and the completion of the prison expansion will provide 120 new jobs, which is fantastic news for the community,” he said.

“This investment in the region’s economy is also a great win for community safety. These new facilities are designed to enhance inmate rehabilitation by providing better access to education, programs and skills-based employment in prison industries.”

The expansion of the existing 690-bed facility is part of the NSW Government’s $3.8 billion investment into increasing capacity in the state’s prisons to meet demand.

“The South Coast Correctional Centre is an impressive facility and these new additions are world class,” Mr Ajaka said.

“Staff here do a fabulous job helping to reduce reoffending by equipping inmates with the knowledge, skills and training, and this expansion will further support those efforts into the future.”

The South Coast Correctional Centre opened in 2010 and is a male maximum, medium and minimum-security facility.