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Australia’s oldest courthouse marks 200-year anniversary
Monday (5 December) marked the 200th anniversary of Australia’s oldest courthouse: Windsor Courthouse.
Jess Feyder
The Windsor Courthouse sits on the lands of the Darug people and has functioned as a court in NSW since 1822.
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NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman described the 200-year commemoration as a milestone event.
The NSW government is committed to ensuring the courthouse remains fit for purpose and retains its historic character, stated Mr Speakman.
“This building has stood in the centre of the Windsor township for 200 years, as the focal point for the administration of justice in the Hawkesbury Valley,” he noted.
“When this building first opened in 1822, convicts were still being transported to Australia and Governor Lachlan Macquarie had not long returned to Scotland.
“The courthouse, which was commissioned by Governor Macquarie, was designed by a former convict, architect Francis Greenway, and built by William Cox, using convict labour,” Mr Speakman continued.
“Francis Greenway designed a number of significant buildings, many of which are still in use today, including Sydney’s Supreme Court King Street building and the Hyde Park Barracks.
“William Cox was also responsible for the construction of the road from Sydney to Bathurst and St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Windsor,” said the A-G.
Member for Hawkesbury Robyn Preston also commented on the anniversary, noting that the courthouse has been upgraded over the years to meet modern justice needs.
“Most recently, the NSW government has completed upgrades to the existing safe room and remote witness room to help empower domestic and sexual violence survivors and vulnerable witnesses to give their best evidence in court,” explained Ms Preston.
“Additional restoration and landscaping work to preserve the building’s unique heritage [has] also been carried out over the past month.
“It is wonderful to be here today celebrating and commemorating this moment in time,” she stated. “Windsor Courthouse has stood the test of time, administering justice in our community for more than 200 years and will continue to do so for many more years.”
