Mount Morgan Court House and Police Station is a heritage-listed

courthouse A courthouse or court house is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English-spe ...

and police station at 28 Hall Street, Mount Morgan, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Queensland Department of Public Works and built from 1898 to 1900 by John Macfarlane and Co. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

History

Queensland State Archives 2672 Court House Mount Morgan c 1890

The Mount Morgan Court House and Police Station was constructed in 1900 to the design of the Works Department as the second court house in Mount Morgan. The township of Mount Morgan grew with the establishment of what was to become the richest gold mine in the world. Although small mining claims occurred before 1882, the three Morgan Brothers pegged claims which encompassed most of the mountain top in that year. In July they formed a partnership with three

Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of the ...

businessmen before selling out to them in 1886 when the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Limited was formed. The township quickly developed, establishing infrastructure for the rapidly increasing population. The company continued until 1929 when a new company and continued to produce gold and copper until it closed in 1990. A police station was constructed in Mount Morgan after a report of 11 February 1887 suggested that with a population of 1500 and four hotels, police protection was required. Tenders were called and that of John Wotherspoon for was accepted. In the following year tenders were called for the construction of a court house and that of Martin Doyle and William Gilbert for was accepted. This building was used for only about ten years. In February 1897 the Mount Morgan and Fitzroy Progress Association carried a resolution to lobby for a new, larger courthouse on a different site. Tenders were called for the construction of the building in the Queensland Government Gazette on 26 May 1898. The contract was awarded to Rockhampton builder, John Macfarlane and Co for a sum of . By 1900 the court house was completed.

Description

The Mount Morgan Court House is a simple one storey classical revival building of rendered brick construction with a hipped roof clad with corrugated iron concealed by moulded

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...

parapets. The building is symmetrically composed with a central rectangular planned bay, flanked by squat single storey wings, linked by verandahs. The principal facade features a central projecting entrance

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...

comprising two banded columns and pilastered returns roofed with a parapeted skillion awning. The columns support an

entablature An entablature (; nativization of Italian , from "in" and "table") is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and ...

with lettering "COURT HOUSE" on the widest panel of moulding. A central doorway within the porch which is flanked by blind windows, opens onto the internal court room. Surmounting the doorway is an arched fanlight with moulded

architrave In classical architecture, an architrave (; from it, architrave "chief beam", also called an epistyle; from Greek ἐπίστυλον ''epistylon'' "door frame") is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of columns. The term can ...

and keystone. Internally the building has rendered plaster walls, timber floors and timber boarded ceilings. An arch behind the courtroom bench leads to the original principal offices of the courthouse, the former police magistrate and judge's office to one side and the land agent's office to the other. The roof of the courtroom is supported on queen post trusses. In 1991, the building ceased to be used as a court house but continued to be used by the

Queensland Police Service The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is the principal law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto ...

Heritage listing

The Mount Morgan Court House and Police Station was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history. The Mount Morgan Court House, constructed in 1900, demonstrates the growth of Mount Morgan following the discovery of gold at the Mount Morgan Mine and reflects the importance of the town during this time. The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places. The building is characteristic of regional court houses, influenced by classical revival styles imbuing tradition and authority. The place is important because of its aesthetic significance. The Mount Morgan Court House is of architectural merit as a small regional example of a classical court house, prominently sited and with interesting features including the banded columns and entrance porch.

References

Attribution

External links

{{commons category-inline, Mount Morgan Court House and Police Station Queensland Heritage Register Mount Morgan, Queensland Courthouses in Queensland Articles incorporating text from the Queensland Heritage Register Police stations in Queensland Government buildings completed in 1900 Buildings and structures in Central Queensland