Maryborough Courthouse - where justice meets elegance

Take a journey through history as you admire the architectural elegance of the Maryborough Courthouse. As Queensland’s oldest working courthouse, this stately symbol of justice has stood strong since 1877.

From Richmond Street the intricate detail on the courthouse’s symmetrical façade, with cast-iron columns and delicate balustrades, makes a statement about architectural expertise in 19^th Century Maryborough.

From Queen’s Park there are picture-perfect aspects to be photographed of the courthouse arches framed by flower beds or the ornate band rotunda.

If you happen to wander by on call-over day (that’s when court proceedings are bustling), you might hear echoes of lively debates or spot the occasional flurry of activity. It’s a reminder that this elegant building is a living, breathing part of Maryborough’s colourful judicial history.

Around 1878, a Chinese witness refused to swear on the Bible, insisting his veracity would only be guaranteed by the oath of the rooster. A live rooster was found: the witness vouched for his honesty by cutting its throat in the stand.

Around the corner and up Wharf Street, you can look across at legal offices including the firm of John Willett Lawyer inside Maryborough’s oldest working commercial building, built in 1869 by Henry Palmer, who had been elected mayor eight years earlier.

Located almost directly opposite the entrance at the back of the courthouse, the shop’s first tenant was a tailor named Martin Braun. The building has been owned and occupied by a range of people and businesses over the last 154 years. Bakers, accountants, commission agents, an architect, solicitors, a photographer and dressmakers have all operated out of Henry Palmer’s old shop.