Boggo Road Gaol, a formidable structure that once loomed over Brisbane's south, remains etched in the city's collective memory as a place of harsh penal policy and storied past. This quintessential prison, which finally closed its gates in 1992, was a crucible for Queensland's most notorious criminals, witnessing its share of riots, mistreatment, hunger strikes, and violent acts. Among its many tales, none resonate quite as powerfully as those of its daring escapes.

Arthur 'Slim' Halliday, a figure synonymous with the gaol's history of rebellion, etched his name into legend with multiple audacious bids for freedom. Described by true crime writer and Boggo Road historian Jack Sim as "a very intelligent and curious personality," Halliday possessed an insatiable drive. "He was not a man that liked to be alone with his thoughts. He was always driven to move forward, to be on the move," Sim explains, adding, "You cage a creature like that and you're asking for trouble."

A Reputation For Eluding Capture

Halliday first found himself behind Boggo Road's imposing walls in 1939, serving a sentence for house-breaking. It was barely a year later that he made his initial, remarkable escape. Using improvised tools, he scaled the prison wall and vanished, only to be recaptured several weeks later. This audacious dash cemented his reputation as a dangerous individual and resulted in an extended sentence. Prison authorities, acutely embarrassed by the breach, subsequently kept a significantly tighter watch on Halliday.

Returning to confinement, Halliday was forced to reconsider his approach to freedom. Historical accounts suggest he may have been promised a reduction in his sentence if he maintained good behaviour throughout the war years. However, by late 1946, with the war concluded and no clemency granted, Halliday's resolve for escape hardened once more.

The Audacious 1946 Plot

By this time, Halliday had earned the moniker 'Houdini of Boggo Road,' a title historians believe he justly deserves, placing him among Australia's most cunning jailbreakers. Despite a difficult upbringing that saw him enter an orphanage and drift into crime, his innate intelligence was undeniable. "If it were not for the sad aspect that he'd been put into an orphanage and had had a hard early life, if he hadn't drifted into crime… he would have had a very satisfying life and career," Sim speculates.

In 1946, Halliday meticulously planned his next escape, understanding that this attempt would require assistance. His exemplary conduct during the war had fostered a degree of trust with prison officials, allowing him to secure a job pouring concrete in a tunnel close to the prison storeroom. This position was critical, as the storeroom housed a treasure trove of items – cord, rope, tools, old uniforms, even chemicals – that could aid an escape.

Halliday befriended a young man named Vic Travis, whose father's position in the police force had secured him a desirable role in the prison storeroom. The location of the storeroom was also strategically advantageous, situated a mere stone's throw from the very spot Halliday had previously scaled in 1940 – a site that would later become famously known as 'Halliday's Leap.' Recognising that security in that section of the gaol had seen little improvement, Halliday concluded, "this is where we'll do it again, go over that back wall."

Yet, beyond the tools and strategic positioning, Halliday understood a crucial element: money was essential for life on the outside. This necessity led him to involve Derwent Arkinstall in his scheme.

A Partnership with Dire Consequences

If Halliday made one glaring error in his meticulously planned escape, it was his decision to enlist Derwent Arkinstall. Arkinstall was widely considered "one of the most hated men in Queensland" after he cold-bloodedly murdered a well-known taxi driver. Historians question Halliday's judgment: "Halliday… talk about a dumb decision. [Arkinstall] is the last person you really want to be going over a wall with. You don't want to attract attention, you know?"

Despite the severe risk, Halliday and Travis desperately needed funds, which Arkinstall's father managed to smuggle into the prison. The precise methods of communication between the trio, particularly with Arkinstall under constant guard, remain unclear, but "they somehow managed to pull this whole plan together," Sim confirms.

The Manhunt and Recapture

Over several months, the three meticulously prepared a makeshift ladder, gathered civilian clothing, and closely observed guard patrols. On December 11, the moment arrived. Their escape unfolded with surprising precision; they scaled the wall, hailed a taxi, and were driven to the other side of town. Astonishingly, they even tipped the driver, who remained oblivious to the fact that his passengers were fugitives, one of whom was a notorious murderer of taxi drivers.

Their absence was discovered within minutes, triggering an immediate and massive police manhunt. With a murderer at large, public tension soared. Authorities deployed extraordinary measures, even setting fire to scrubland in Nundah Cemetery in a desperate attempt to smoke out the escapees. However, Victor Travis had already split from the group and was recaptured at a Redbank military camp just two weeks later.

Halliday's decision to remain with Arkinstall proved fatal to his chances of prolonged freedom. While authorities were infuriated with Halliday, their primary focus was on Arkinstall, whom they deemed "a vicious, vile murderer." The search intensified, spreading northward towards the Nundah area.

Ultimately, it wasn't the police who spotted the fugitives, but two teenage boys, Colin Jones and Fred Flynn, fishing at the mouth of Nundah Creek. They reported seeing two men on a small island who fled upon being discovered. Scores of police officers swarmed the island, cornering Halliday and Arkinstall in the mangroves, submerged waist-deep with only their heads above water.

As they were apprehended, Halliday reportedly called out, "Don't shoot. We have nothing." Arkinstall, ever defiant, made a lunge for a police officer's revolver even as he was being marched to the patrol car. After being subdued, a bloodied Arkinstall quipped, "You can't blame a man for trying," a statement that encapsulated the entire daring, yet ill-fated, adventure.

Halliday's choice to involve and then stick by Arkinstall continues to perplex historians. Jack Sim suggests that Halliday, a socially awkward individual prone to temper tantrums and possessing a challenging past, may have harboured "a soft spot for broken causes," explaining his loyalty to his ill-chosen companion.