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Rockhampton Courthouse
Rockhampton Courthouse is a heritage-listed courthouse at 42 East Street, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by John Hitch and built from 1950 to 1955. It is also known as District Court, Queensland Government Savings Bank, Commonwealth Bank, Magistrate's Court, Police Court, and Supreme Court. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
The Rockhampton Courthouse complex comprises the Supreme Court building (Block D 1886–87), Magistrate's Court building (Block B, former Police Court building 1934–1936), District Court building (Block C, former Queensland Government Savings Bank and Commonwealth Bank, 1915–16 and 1932–1933), Family Services' building (Block F, former Labour Bureau 1934–36), and the Bolsover Street Government Office building (Block E, 1950–55), which all form part of a significant group of buildings on the Government Reserve bounded by Fitzroy, East and Bolsover Streets, Rockhampton. The buildings all reflect the involvement of the Queensland Government in the development of the City of Rockhampton from the colonial period until the present day, in various areas such as the administration of justice, and the provision of government services within Rockhampton.
After the short lived Canoona gold rush of 1858, Rockhampton was proclaimed as a town and declared a "port of entry" in 1858. The first sale of town allotments was held in Rockhampton on 17 and 18 November 1858. In 1859 Queensland separated from New South Wales, and at this time Brisbane became the base of the Supreme Court of Queensland. The Supreme Court provided sittings for circuit towns that included Ipswich, Drayton and Maryborough.
Rockhampton became a circuit town for the Supreme Court in 1863. In 1859 residents had petitioned for the provision of a court house in the new town. A site for a court house had been reserved fronting onto Quay Street in 1859–1860. However, community agitation was responsible for the establishment of a more central reserve for a court house and lock up on five acres of land bounded by Bolsover, East and Fitzroy Streets. It was on this central reserve that the court houses of Rockhampton were to be built.
A court house was built in 1861–1862 on the corner of East and Fitzroy Streets. The total cost of the building was £1,130. The architect was Charles Tiffin (1833–73), who also designed such notable buildings as Parliament House in Brisbane, the Old Courthouse in Ipswich, and Old Government House in Brisbane.
The completed two-storeyed building was constructed of masonry and had an L-shape plan. The building was described as being of arcaded Italianate style. Valances to both levels were constructed as timber framed segmental arches, and a single-storeyed court room was provided, with ancillary spaces. Stables and associated outbuildings were also provided.
Bowen had been made the home of the northern district Court in 1874. Rockhampton therefore had to be served by a judge on circuit from Brisbane. In 1881 a larger and more substantial Bowen Courthouse was erected, which caused anger amongst the citizens of Rockhampton, who felt that Rockhampton was deserving of the appointment of its own judge, and the establishment of a Supreme Court.
The first Rockhampton Court House served the community of Rockhampton until the 1880s. At this time the discovery of gold at Mount Morgan, in the Dee Range some forty kilometres from Rockhampton, transformed the town. A major building boom occurred in Rockhampton as the wealth of the mine was shipped through the river port. As the boom was to continue into the early part of the twentieth century, the wealth generated was to create other major forms of public buildings in Rockhampton. These included the Rockhampton Customs House, Rockhampton Post Office, and the 1887 Supreme Court building.
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Rockhampton Courthouse
Rockhampton Courthouse is a heritage-listed courthouse at 42 East Street, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by John Hitch and built from 1950 to 1955. It is also known as District Court, Queensland Government Savings Bank, Commonwealth Bank, Magistrate's Court, Police Court, and Supreme Court. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
The Rockhampton Courthouse complex comprises the Supreme Court building (Block D 1886–87), Magistrate's Court building (Block B, former Police Court building 1934–1936), District Court building (Block C, former Queensland Government Savings Bank and Commonwealth Bank, 1915–16 and 1932–1933), Family Services' building (Block F, former Labour Bureau 1934–36), and the Bolsover Street Government Office building (Block E, 1950–55), which all form part of a significant group of buildings on the Government Reserve bounded by Fitzroy, East and Bolsover Streets, Rockhampton. The buildings all reflect the involvement of the Queensland Government in the development of the City of Rockhampton from the colonial period until the present day, in various areas such as the administration of justice, and the provision of government services within Rockhampton.
After the short lived Canoona gold rush of 1858, Rockhampton was proclaimed as a town and declared a "port of entry" in 1858. The first sale of town allotments was held in Rockhampton on 17 and 18 November 1858. In 1859 Queensland separated from New South Wales, and at this time Brisbane became the base of the Supreme Court of Queensland. The Supreme Court provided sittings for circuit towns that included Ipswich, Drayton and Maryborough.
Rockhampton became a circuit town for the Supreme Court in 1863. In 1859 residents had petitioned for the provision of a court house in the new town. A site for a court house had been reserved fronting onto Quay Street in 1859–1860. However, community agitation was responsible for the establishment of a more central reserve for a court house and lock up on five acres of land bounded by Bolsover, East and Fitzroy Streets. It was on this central reserve that the court houses of Rockhampton were to be built.
A court house was built in 1861–1862 on the corner of East and Fitzroy Streets. The total cost of the building was £1,130. The architect was Charles Tiffin (1833–73), who also designed such notable buildings as Parliament House in Brisbane, the Old Courthouse in Ipswich, and Old Government House in Brisbane.
The completed two-storeyed building was constructed of masonry and had an L-shape plan. The building was described as being of arcaded Italianate style. Valances to both levels were constructed as timber framed segmental arches, and a single-storeyed court room was provided, with ancillary spaces. Stables and associated outbuildings were also provided.
Bowen had been made the home of the northern district Court in 1874. Rockhampton therefore had to be served by a judge on circuit from Brisbane. In 1881 a larger and more substantial Bowen Courthouse was erected, which caused anger amongst the citizens of Rockhampton, who felt that Rockhampton was deserving of the appointment of its own judge, and the establishment of a Supreme Court.
The first Rockhampton Court House served the community of Rockhampton until the 1880s. At this time the discovery of gold at Mount Morgan, in the Dee Range some forty kilometres from Rockhampton, transformed the town. A major building boom occurred in Rockhampton as the wealth of the mine was shipped through the river port. As the boom was to continue into the early part of the twentieth century, the wealth generated was to create other major forms of public buildings in Rockhampton. These included the Rockhampton Customs House, Rockhampton Post Office, and the 1887 Supreme Court building.