Townsville Magistrates Court

Story

Townsville Magistrates Court is a heritage-listed former courthouse and now theatre at 81 Sturt Street, Townsville CBD, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Francis Drummond Greville Stanley and built from 1874 to 1876 by J & J Rooney. It is also known as Townsville Court House and Townsville Museum. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.HistoryThis single-storeyed brick building was constructed in 1874-76 as the second Townsville Magistrates Court. It was designed by colonial architect FDG Stanley, and was constructed by Townsville builders J & J Rooney, at a cost £4,463.The Magistrates Court was the second brick building erected in Townsville, and took two years to complete due to a shortage of suitable brick clay.The Townsville Magistrates Court held circuit sittings of the Northern Division of the Supreme Court (twice a year), as well as sittings of the Northern District Court (twice a year), the Police Court (daily), and the Petty Debts Court (twice a week) - the latter two presided over by the Police Magistrate. A lockup and quarters for the lockup keeper were associated with the Court House.The court house was repaired and painted in April 1895 and a verandah on the western side was added in 1897. In 1901 James Brady constructed a strong room on the rear western side.The building functioned as a court house for almost 100 years. With the construction of new court facilities in Walker Street, the old structure was threatened with demolition. Community agitation saved the building and it was purchased by the Townsville City Council in the early 1970s.