Historic Australian Courthouses -WillsHub

Historic Australian Courthouses – a gallery in progress

Historic Australian courthouses reflect a diversity of places, history and heritage of the buildings used for the administration of justice. Some continue to be used as a courthouse, but many are not, others no longer exist. Alternative uses for courthouse buildings sold into private hands include private dwellings – especially those originally attached to police stations, museums, galleries, restaurants, community use, visitor’s centres, bed and breakfast establishment, and even a church.

“….in future these buildings are not to be used for entertainments or meetings 
of any kind, but reserved for the administration of justice.."¹ NSW Government, 1880

The dates given are an indication of when a courthouse was constructed as far as can be ascertained. As communities and needs grew, courthouse facilities often went through a series of add-ons and refurbishments.

Please note: these images are subject to copyright.

: Supreme Court of South Australia

: Morphett Vale 1855 SA

: Strathalbyn c1860, SA

: Auburn 1860, SA

: Willunga 1855, SA

: Goolwa SA

: Port Adelaide 1882, SA

: Angaston SA

: Salisbury SA

: Norwood SA

: Port Augusta (former), SA

: Kapunda, 1866-68, SA

: Victor Harbor SA

: Normanville SA

: Fowlers Bay, 1912, SA

: Wellington SA

: Clarendon (former) 1868, SA

: Mt Barker, SA

: Gawler Courthouse (former), SA

: Clare 1878, SA

: Balaklava 1913, SA

: Northam 1896, WA

: First Courthouse, Perth 1836, WA

: Supreme Court of Western Australia, 1902

: District Court Facade, Perth, WA

: Esperance 1898, WA

: Bunbury 1907, WA

: Guildford 1866, WA

: Busselton 1860, WA

: Darwin 1884, NT

: Port Douglas 1879, QLD

: Atherton 1941, QLD

: Launceston, TAS

: Oatlands 1827, TAS

: Hobart (former), TAS

: Bowral, NSW

: Richmond 1878, NSW

: Blayney 1882, NSW

: Bathurst 1878, NSW

: Hartley 1859, NSW

: Lithgow 1879, NSW

: Orange 1883, NSW

: Coopernook, NSW

: Albury 1860, NSW

: Ballarat 1903, VIC

: Beechworth 1858 (former), VIC

: Bright 1861, VIC

: Coraki, NSW

: Buladelah, NSW

: Balmain 1888, NSW

: Carcoar 1859, NSW

: Lismore, NSW

: Kempsey, NSW

: Murrurundi, NSW

: Berry (former), 1892 NSW

: Armidale Courthouse 1858, NSW

: Picton 1865, NSW

: Berrima, NSW

: Glebe, 1889, NSW

: Raymond Terrace, NSW

: Kew, NSW

: Nowra, NSW

: Tenterfield 1885, NSW

: Ballina NSW

: Holbrook, NSW

: Gundagai 1859, NSW

: Goulburn 1832, NSW

: Crookwell 1891, NSW

: Newtown 1885, NSW

: Albany 1896-98, WA

: Manly 1909, NSW

: Supreme Court of Victoria

: North Sydney 1886, NSW

: Casino c1882, NSW

: Cairns 1919, QLD

: Katoomba 1895, NSW

: Water Police 1885, Sydney

: Scone 1937, NSW

: Glen Innes, NSW

: Boorowa, NSW

: Murrumburrah 1880, NSW

: Bungendore, NSW

: Fremantle WA

: Midland 1907, WA

: Tallangatta, VIC

: Chiltern 1865, VIC

: Ouyen VIC

: Rutherglen 1864, VIC

: Sea Lake 1898, Victoria

: Kerang 1912, VIC

: Cohuna, VIC

: Yackandandah 1864, VIC

: Milawa 1880, VIC

: Corowa 1886-7, NSW

: Moss Vale, NSW

: Paddington 1888, Sydney

: Kiama 1892, NSW

: Uralla 1885, NSW

: Cootamundra, NSW

: Gundaroo, NSW

: Young, NSW

: Jerilderie, NSW

: Junee, NSW

: Urana NSW

: Tumbarumba, NSW

: Young, NSW

: Gunning 1879, NSW

: Cowra 1880, NSW

: Yass, NSW

: Deniliquin 1883-4, NSW

: Moama NSW

: Temora, NSW

: Dubbo Courthouse 1890, NSW

: Wagga Wagga, NSW

: Bangalow, NSW

: Binalong 1883, NSW

: Narrandera NSW

: Narromine (former) NSW

: Nyngan, NSW

: Parkes 1875, NSW

: Camden 1855, NSW

: Peak Hill, NSW

: Silverton (former), NSW

: Tibooburra (former), NSW

: Milparinka (former), NSW

: Trangie, NSW

: Wentworth, NSW

: Wilcannia, NSW

: Hay, NSW

: Euston (former), NSW

: Cobar, NSW

: Broken Hill, NSW

: Singleton, NSW

: Stroud, NSW

: Rylstone, NSW

: Clarence Town, NSW

: Mudgee, NSW

: Braidwood, NSW

: Morpeth, NSW

: Gloucester, NSW

: Dungog, NSW

: Gulgong, NSW

: Kandos, NSW

: Cassilis, NSW

: Capertree, NSW

: Bega 1881, NSW

: Cobargo (former), NSW

: Cooma, 1887, NSW

: Narooma, 1934, NSW

: Moruya 1881, NSW

: Industrial Relations Court NSW

: Central Sydney Local Court, NSW

: Supreme Court of New South Wales 1820-28

: Cleveland 1853, QLD

: Cleveland 1934, QLD

: Kangaroo Valley 1904, NSW

: Newcastle 1822, NSW

: Newcastle 1890, NSW

: Branxton 1880, NSW

: Kurri Kurri, NSW

: Maitland 1897, NSW

: Paterson 1858, NSW

: Cessnock, NSW

: Wollombi 1866, NSW

: Fingal, Tasmania

: Campbell Town, TAS

: Scottsdale (former) 1881, TAS

: Bicheno, TAS

: Newstead, 1863, VIC

: Dunolly 1858, VIC

: Clunes 1872, VIC

: Gisbourne 1858, VIC

: Creswick, VIC

: Daylesford 1863, VIC

: Bendigo, VIC

: Steiglitz, VIC

: Castlemaine 1878, VIC

: Buninyong 1886, VIC

: Latrobe, TAS

: Evandale, TAS

: Woodend 1870, VIC

: Geelong 1860-1937, VIC

: Ballarat, VIC

: Sunbury 1855, VIC

: Maryborough 1882, VIC

: Wollongong 1886, NSW

: Campbelltown 1886, NSW

: Hornsby 1925

A list of short articles on selected courthouses can be browsed here.

A list of early courthouses in Queensland noted for their architectural significance and their history can be found on the Sir Harry Gibbs Legal Heritage Centre here. The colony of Queensland was established separately from New South Wales in 1859, and the colony of Victoria in 1851.

1. Government circular forwarded throughout the Colony of New South Wales, Queanbeyan Age, 30 Oct 1880, p. 2.