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building. The opportunity was also taken to construct a detached room at the rear of the building for police purposes. In fact, the alterations were so substantial that when tenders were called, they were titled New Court House, Port
Douglas. The tender for the additions and alterations was won by local builder H A Nielson, at a cost of
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The Port
Douglas Court House was constructed in 1879. It was the first court house to be constructed in Port Douglas and demonstrates the rapid development of the town after the discovery of gold in 1876 at the nearby Hodgkinson River. As an early government building in far northern Queensland, it is
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After these major alterations were completed, no further work apart from general maintenance was undertaken until 1958 when an inspection identified that the weatherboards had shrunk to such an extent that light shone through the gaps in the unlined walls. This resulted in the court and judge's rooms
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20 was given in
September 1879. Thomas Watson, who had stayed in Port Douglas to construct a number of other government buildings, completed the addition in May 1880. Thomas was again employed when the new jury room was found to be too small and the central section of the verandah at the rear of the
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The building was designed by the
Colonial Architect's office to suit the climate and the functions of a court house. It comprised a rectangular core with the court room at the front and two offices at the rear with verandahs to all four elevations. Access to the verandah was via a centrally located
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Although the Port
Douglas Court House was primarily used as a place to conduct court sessions, it was also used for other purposes including police offices and briefly, as a residence for the town's only police officer. It was also considered as a site for the local school. Most of the cases heard
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Two pairs of French doors with glass panels to the top sections are located in the rear elevation and two similarly detailed single doors are located at the rear of the southern elevation. Evenly spaced double hung windows are located along the remainder of this side and along the opposite side.
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The place has strong associations with the local community who lobbied to retain the building on its original site and who were instrumental in having the building re-located back to its original position. The building is now presented as a museum which is maintained by a local community group.
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The cyclone occurred in March 1911 and left the building partially unroofed and blown off its stumps, some of which pierced the floor. An
Inspector of Works was sent to assess the building and recommended realigning the building to face Wharf Street to avoid the soft ground at the rear of the
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The Court House was constructed in 1879. The first Police
Magistrate arrived in 1878, and the only place to conduct court sessions was in one of the newly constructed police cells. This was considered unsuitable, and the new Police Magistrate requested that a tent be sent. Court sessions were
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When Port
Douglas was surveyed, land on the southern side of Wharf Street was reserved for Court House and Post Office purposes. However, by the time the plan was released, a building was already constructed on this site. The owner of the building was offered the land and the Court House was
339:, which was only accessible over difficult and mountainous terrain. In 1877, well-known bushman Christy Palmerston discovered a new route which gave easier access from the goldfields to the coast. By the end of the year, the site had been surveyed, declared a
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The cells were destroyed when a tree fell on them and a fire partially destroyed the detached former police offices. In 1993, the Court House was moved back to its original site, in the same position as when it was first constructed.
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were of a modest nature, the exception being one of the most notable court cases in
Queensland history when in 1886 Ellen Thompson was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. In June 1887 she became the only woman to be
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Internally the building is divided into three rooms; the court room at the front and a smaller room at the rear. The front room is further divided to form a small room in the corner, which is only accessible externally.
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Since April 1997, the building has been used as a museum which was established by the
Douglas Shire Historical Society. It incorporates displays pertaining to the history of the court house and also to local history.
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Tenders were called in May 1879 and although local builders were among the tenderers, the contract was won by Brisbane builder Thomas Watson, probably as he was experienced in building court houses, primarily that at
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In 1880, the rear corner of the verandah was enclosed to provide a jury room. Complaints had been made by Judge Hely in 1879 regarding the lack of a jury room and approval to incorporate one at a cost of
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The Port Douglas Court House is a simple timber clad structure, rectangular in plan and surrounded by verandahs on all four sides. It is elevated on low timber stumps with a gabled corrugated iron roof.
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and local groups to retain the building on its original site, was sold to B Whiting in 1968. The Court house and adjacent police cells were subsequently removed to the grounds of the Court House Hotel.
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475. The completed building differed slightly from the original plan in that it did not have a dividing partition between the rear offices, resulting in one large office rather than two smaller ones.
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in 1859, there were only six court houses in the new colony. During the next forty years, over 145 court houses were erected in Queensland, ranging from slab structures to the substantial
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It is rare as one of the few surviving pre 1880s timber buildings in North Queensland, as the oldest building in Port Douglas and the second oldest timber court house in Queensland.
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at the front of the building, leading to a pair of timber doors featuring panels of diagonally laid boards. These are flanked by double hung four paned windows on either side.
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Trade from the goldfields quickly transferred from Cairns to the new township, followed by businesses. The government expressed confidence in Port Douglas by allocating
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The Port Douglas Court House was constructed in 1879 as the first court house in the town. It is a simple timber structure with verandahs to all four elevations.
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The Port Douglas Court House demonstrates the principal characteristics of court houses constructed in regional towns during the early development of the state.
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The continued use of this building is indicative of the success of its simple design, which was used for many Queensland court houses up until the 1930s.
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The place has considerable aesthetic significance due to its setting in a park setting near the ocean and the simple symmetricality of the building.
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In the following years, much of the verandah flooring and almost all of the stumps were replaced due to deterioration inflicted by the weather and
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2000 for a road to the Hodgkinson River and also by constructing many public buildings in the town in the early stages of its development.
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Much of the original fabric survives in the main core of the building, however, some sections of the building have been reconstructed.
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The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
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The verandah roof is separate from the main roof and is supported by regularly spaced posts with simple diagonal braces in place of
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It is now relocated in its original position fronting Wharf Street and sits in a park-like tropical setting adjacent to the water.
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The Port Douglas Court House is one of the earliest surviving timber constructed court houses in Queensland. When Queensland
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The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.
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and built from 1879 by Thomas Watson. It was formerly known as Port Douglas Court House. It was added to the
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stair at the front. Additional sets of stairs were located at the eastern end of each side elevation.
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Watson began construction in September and the building was completed in November at a cost of
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The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage.
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The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
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conducted in the tent for most of 1878, until the court moved into the newly completed
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on 21 October 1992. The museum is operated by the Port Douglas Historical Society.
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on 8 October 2014). The geo-coordinates were originally computed from the
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The building was vacated in 1961 and after strong lobbying from the
686:. No. 16, 597. Queensland, Australia. 22 March 1911. p. 5
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office was extended and enclosed to create a more suitable space.
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subsequently constructed on the opposite side of Wharf Street.
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The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.
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on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.
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Port Douglas was established shortly after the discovery of
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at the top. The entrance is via a centrally located set of
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end, the front one comprising three louvred arched forms.
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Location of Port Douglas Court House Museum in Queensland
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Port Douglas Court House Museum, Port Douglas Court House
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This Knowledge (XXG) article was originally based on
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494:Port Douglas Court House Museum was listed on the
807:Buildings and structures in Far North Queensland
619:"Port Douglas Court House Museum (entry 600465)"
507:demonstrative of the development of Queensland.
374:the previous year, which was similar in design.
475:Gable end vents are centrally located in each
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812:Tourist attractions in Far North Queensland
650:"Visit the Port Douglas Court House Museum"
335:in 1876. At this time the nearest port was
264:Port Douglas Court House Museum (Australia)
694:– via National Library of Australia.
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733:"Queensland heritage register boundaries"
397:. No major alterations were made until a
744:licence (accessed on 5 September 2014,
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401:in 1911 almost destroyed the building.
792:Government buildings completed in 1879
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297:, Australia. It was designed by the
343:and officially named Port Douglas.
285:and now museum at 25 Wharf Street,
726:licence (accessed on 7 July 2014,
715:"The Queensland heritage register"
660:from the original on 15 March 2018
413:being fully lined with hardboard.
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787:Former courthouses in Queensland
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654:Douglas Shire Historical Society
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279:Port Douglas Court House Museum
101:1870s–1890s (late 19th century)
24:Port Douglas Court House Museum
328:(destroyed by arson in 1968).
318:separated from New South Wales
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627:. Queensland Heritage Council
802:History museums in Australia
777:Queensland Heritage Register
624:Queensland Heritage Register
496:Queensland Heritage Register
429:National Trust of Queensland
333:gold on the Hodgkinson River
303:Queensland Heritage Register
281:is a heritage-listed former
140:Queensland Heritage Register
341:port of entry and clearance
118:Colonial Architect's Office
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452:Architectural plans, 1879
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782:Port Douglas, Queensland
680:"A DEVASTATING CALAMITY"
182:1870s–1880s (historical)
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239:Show map of Queensland
191:Significant components
158:state heritage (built)
124:Architectural style(s)
797:Museums in Queensland
748:on 15 October 2014).
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267:Show map of Australia
186:1879–ongoing (social)
684:The Brisbane Courier
422:hanged in Queensland
184:1870s–1910s (fabric)
82:16.4796°S 145.4628°E
738:State of Queensland
720:State of Queensland
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179:Significant period
171:Reference no.
87:-16.4796; 145.4628
736:published by the
718:published by the
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46:Port Douglas
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703:Attribution
664:27 November
444:Description
372:St Lawrence
194:court house
85: /
73:145°27′46″E
61:Coordinates
56:, Australia
771:Categories
544:References
395:white ants
295:Queensland
283:courthouse
163:Designated
128:Classicism
70:16°28′47″S
54:Queensland
114:Architect
109:1879–1911
746:archived
728:archived
690:14 April
658:Archived
631:1 August
465:brackets
326:Brisbane
199:Builders
41:Location
399:cyclone
309:History
740:under
722:under
469:stairs
337:Cairns
174:600465
477:gable
409:334.
106:Built
692:2017
666:2018
633:2014
155:Type
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