Hamilton Court House

Location

15 Martin Street HAMILTON, Southern Grampians Shire

File Number

HAMDS #025

Level

Stage 2 study complete

Statement of Significance

SIGNIFICANCE: »Key building in the administrative complex, the court house represents authority through its architecture and location near the police buildings.


STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Hamilton Court House

15 Martin Street

This building, which replaced an earlier building on the site, ([i]) and was constructed by the Public Works Department in 1882-83, ([ii]) has regional significance as a key building in the administrative complex and for its architectural interest as one of the larger Western District Court Houses. With its picturesque massing and arcaded porch, the Hamilton Court House is comparable in style to the Maryborough and Castlemaine Court Houses (1877), designed by the office of John H Marsden, the PWD architect in charge of the Western District. Marsden's office also produced the Carlton Court House (with S E Bindley) in 1887, and, also with Bindley, the Dunolly, Collingwood and Elsternwick Post Offices (1890). The elaborate Geelong Post Office, also of 1890, was probably designed by J H Brabin. ([iii]) The building remains significantly intact and in excellent condition.

[i] Hamilton Police and Court House Reserve, surveyed by N Thornley, 21 November 1872, RS 359.

[ii] Argus, 6 May 1882 (tender notice), 28 July 1882 (alterations and additions); Garden, Don, Hamilton, p 117 (major extensions).

[iii] Trethowan, Bruce, `The Public Works Department of Victoria 1851-1900', Research Report, University of Melbourne, 1975, pp 104-6.

Group

Law Enforcement

Category

Court House