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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. 

Former courthouse buildings sold into private hands became re-purposed as private residential dwellings – especially those originally attached to police stations.  Others as museums, galleries, restaurants, community use, visitor’s centres, bed and breakfast establishments and a church. 

In New South Wales country courthouses were originally used as Courts of Petty Sessions.  These were abolished in 1985 and Local Courts  established.

“….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.

Dates given are an indication of when a courthouse was constructed.  This is as far as can be ascertained from available records.  As communities and needs grew courthouse facilities often went through a series of add-ons and refurbishments.  Click on the links in the table below to view images by state/territory.

WillsHub, BHS Legal acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which these early courthouses stand.

New South Wales Queensland
Victoria Northern Territory: the historic Darwin Courthouse
South Australia Tasmania
Western Australia  

 

New South Wales

B Stead last updated June 2023
BHS Legal
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We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands upon which these Courthouses sit and pay respects to elders past, present and future.

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