A group of teenagers will see in the new year at a Victorian adult prison despite two courts ordering they be moved to more suitable facilities.
The group of 11 youths will remain at Grevillea unit within Barwon Prison indefinitely despite the Court of Appeal this week ordering they be transferred elsewhere.
The youths were moved to the Grevillea unit after riots damaged the Malmsbury and Parkville youth detention centres in November.
Human rights lawyers challenged the transfer at the Victorian Supreme Court, which ruled in the youths' favour on December 23 and found the move was unlawful.
The Supreme Court ordered the government move the boys, but a stay was placed on the order while an appeal was launched.
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The Court of Appeal on Wednesday upheld the finding and ordered the government move the teenagers to a juvenile remand centre.
But the state government has instead rebranded Grevillea as a youth justice facility and remand centre.
By doing so, the government has beaten a court-imposed deadline to move the teenagers out of Barwon Prison by Friday afternoon.
Lawyers for the youths say the teens are considering their legal options.
Opposition spokesman John Pesutto believes the youths will continue fighting their detention.
