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.
Many NSW country courthouses were originally used as Courts of Petty Sessions. Courts of Petty Sessions were abolished and Local Courts were established in 1985.
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.
New South Wales
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
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
Manly, NSW
North Sydney 1886, NSW
Casino c1882, NSW
Katoomba 1895, NSW
Water Police 1885, Sydney
Scone 1937, NSW
Glen Innes, NSW
Boorowa, NSW
Murrumburrah 1880, NSW
Bungendore, NSW
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, NSW
Trangie, NSW
Wentworth, NSW
Wilcannia, NSW
Hay 1892, 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
Capertee, 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
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
Wollongong 1886, NSW
Campbelltown 1886, NSW
Hornsby 1925, NSW
Quirindi 1930, NSW
Coolah 1880, NSW
Coonabarabran 1860, NSW
Dunedoo 1928, NSW
Gilgandra 1897, NSW
Kogarah, NSW
Eden, NSW
Bateman’s Bay 1905, NSW
Pambula 1890s, NSW
Milton 1877, NSW
Taralga 1887, NSW
Pt Macquarie 1869, NSW
Bowraville 1898, NSW
Macksville 1892, NSW
Tea Gardens 1912, NSW
Taree 1881-2, NSW
Wauchope 1910, NSW
Greta 1890, NSW
Ballina, NSW
Ballina Court Office, NSW
Victoria
Albury 1860, NSW
Ballarat 1903, VIC
Beechworth 1858 (former), VIC
Bright 1861, VIC
Supreme Court of Victoria
Chiltern 1865, VIC
Ouyen VIC
Rutherglen 1864, VIC
Sea Lake 1898, Victoria
Kerang 1912, VIC
Cohuna, VIC
Yackandandah 1864, VIC
Milawa 1880, VIC
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
Woodend 1870, VIC
Geelong 1860-1937, VIC
Ballarat, VIC
Sunbury 1855, VIC
Maryborough 1882, VIC
Tallangatta, VIC
South Australia
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
Western Australia
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
Fremantle WA
Midland 1907, WA
Northam 1896, WA
Albany, WA
Queensland
Port Douglas 1879, QLD
Atherton 1941, QLD
Cairns 1919, QLD
Cleveland 1934, QLD
Cleveland 1853, QLD
Tasmania
Launceston, TAS
Oatlands 1827, TAS
Hobart (former), TAS
Bicheno, TAS
Latrobe, TAS
Evandale, TAS
Scottsdale (former) 1881, TAS
Campbell Town, TAS
Fingal, TAS
Northern Territory
Historic Darwin Courthouse, 1884, Northern Territory.
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.
B Stead, last updated 5 October 2020
BHS Legal
