Charters Towers Courthouse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charters Towers Courthouse
Charters Towers Courthouse, 2009
Location	28 Hodgkinson Street, Charters Towers, Charters Towers Region, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1870s - 1890s (late 19th century)
Built	1886 - 1890
Architectural style(s)	John James Clark
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Charters Towers Court House
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	21 October 1992
Reference no.	600403
Significant period	1880s-1890s (historical) 1880s-1890s (fabric)
Significant components	office/s, court house
Builders	Charles Miller
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The Charters Towers Courthouse is a very old and important building in Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia. It is located at 28 Hodgkinson Street. This special building was designed by a famous architect named John James Clark. It was built in 1886 by Charles Miller. The courthouse is also known as Charters Towers Courthouse. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it is protected for its history and unique design.

History of the Courthouse

Why Charters Towers Needed a Courthouse

Charters Towers became a very important town after gold was found there in 1871. It quickly became one of the richest gold mining areas in North Queensland. The town grew fast and became a municipality in 1877. By 1882, a railway line connected Charters Towers to the coast.

Mining for gold in Charters Towers was a big job. It needed special equipment and lots of money from investors. This meant many people moved to the town for work. As the town grew, more people meant more need for law and order.

Building the New Courthouse

The 1880s was a time of big growth across Queensland. More people meant more police and court buildings were needed. Charters Towers was one of several important towns that got a new, grand courthouse. These new buildings replaced older, simpler ones.

The new Charters Towers Courthouse was designed in 1885. The architect was John James Clark, who was the Queensland Colonial Architect at the time. A Colonial Architect was like the main government architect. They designed many important public buildings.

The Architect: John James Clark

John James Clark was born and trained in Liverpool, England. He came to Australia in 1853. He was very good at winning design competitions for buildings. Clark designed major public buildings in Melbourne. He then moved to Sydney in 1881. In 1883, he became the Queensland Colonial Architect.

Even though he left the job in 1885, Clark designed many important buildings. These included courthouses in Mackay, Rockhampton, and Warwick. The Charters Towers courthouse was also his design. These buildings were made in a "classical revival" style. This style used ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. It was chosen to make public buildings look strong and important, especially a courthouse, which represents the law.

Construction and Changes

The Charters Towers courthouse was built by Charles Miller. It cost about £4650, which was a lot of money back then! It opened on 9 February 1887. The local newspaper, The Northern Miner, said the building was "unpretentious" but also "commodious and well ventilated." This means it wasn't super fancy, but it was spacious and had good airflow.

The courthouse was similar in style to the one in Mackay. It had rooms for the judge, police, jury, witnesses, and other offices. But Charters Towers grew so fast that by 1890, the building was already too small! So, a local builder named Benjamin Toll added a large brick extension. This new part had verandahs on three sides.

The courthouse hasn't changed much since then. It has served the people of Charters Towers for over a hundred years. The 1890s extension now holds offices for government departments.

What the Courthouse Looks Like

The Charters Towers Courthouse has two brick buildings. They are parallel to each other and connected at the back. They are on a large government property at the corner of Hodgkinson and Church Streets. The old Charters Towers School of Mines is also nearby.

The Original Building

The first courthouse building is in a classical revival style. It is made of brick with a corrugated iron roof. It sits back from Hodgkinson Street. The main part of the building is the court room, which is two stories tall. You enter through a slightly lower porch called a portico. This portico has three arches supported by columns, reaching up two stories to a triangular roof section called a pediment. This pediment has a round vent in the middle.

On each side of the entrance are smaller, single-story sections with pyramid-shaped roofs. These sections have pairs of windows with sun hoods. At the back, there are similar sections connected by a verandah. A verandah also connects the front and back sections on the western side. The eastern verandah area is now used for parking for people with disabilities. The back section on the eastern side is connected to the newer building. It now has a tea room and still has a chimney and a corner fireplace. Other rooms at the back are offices and a strong room.

The court room is still used today. It has plastered walls and a ceiling with sunken panels called a coffered ceiling. There is also a public gallery at the northern end. The court room still has its original cedar furniture and fittings.

The 1890s Extension

The building added in the 1890s is set back from the older building. It only connects to it near the back. This extension is made of brick and has a gambrel roof covered in corrugated iron. It's mostly rectangular. For much of its length, it stands alone. It has a ground floor verandah and an awning that goes around the front and sides. This is held up by posts with decorative brackets. The building is balanced on both sides and has its own central entrance. This entrance has double doors with windows on either side. You reach it by low steps from the verandah.

This newer building now holds offices for the Department of Justice and other government departments.

Why This Place is Special

The Charters Towers Courthouse was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it's recognized as a very important historical site.

A Glimpse into Queensland's Past

Charters Towers was an incredibly rich goldfield. It played a huge role in Queensland's economy and the growth of North Queensland. The courthouse, built in 1886 and extended in the 1890s, shows how much Charters Towers grew as a major gold mining town. It also shows how important it was as a regional center in the late 1800s.

Unique Features

The main court room is still very much like it was when it was first built. It even has most of its original furniture, which is quite rare to find today!

A Great Example of Its Kind

This courthouse is a great example of a major regional courthouse from its time. It was designed in a classical style to show tradition and authority. It has a tall, impressive courtroom and many offices. It's a wonderful example of the high-quality work done by the Colonial Architect's office in the late 19th century.

Beautiful to Look At

The courthouse is a large and important public building. It has a beautiful design. It adds a lot to the unique look and feel of Charters Towers.

Important to the Community

For over a hundred years, the courthouse has been a central place for justice in Charters Towers and the surrounding area. It has a strong connection with the local community.

Connected to a Famous Architect

The courthouse is a major public building designed by John James Clark when he was the Colonial Architect. His work helped shape architecture in Queensland, making this building an important part of his legacy.

Images for kids

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  Charters Towers Court house around 1888.

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  Architectural drawing of the new Court House, Charters Towers, 1885.

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  Perspective view of the Court House, 1888.

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  Rear extension from 1890, as seen in 1997.