This structure is the one and only government building from the 1800s to be found in Port Macquarie today. That in itself is quite a rarity, as most of these old buildings around the world are long gone. The history behind the Port Macquarie Courthouse is fascinating. It was built on the corner of Hay and Clarence Streets in the year 1869. Today, this spot is right in the midst of the main shopping street of the city. For some reason, the officials of Port Macquarie felt that there was a compelling need for a new courthouse to be built. A courthouse was already present in the town, but it was in dire need of a remake as it was in extremely poor structural condition.
Once the decision had been made, city officials wanted to make sure it was done correctly. They retained the services of a well known colonial architect, James Barnet. He drew up the plans for the building, and once they had been approved, the search was on for a builder to do the job. Finally, it was agreed that a firm of local builders called Butler and Bourne would be best qualified to do the job. The price quoted for the construction of the new courthouse was 1,091 pounds 9 shillings, which was quite a tidy sum of money back in the 1800s.
The courthouse was well built, with a design typical for those times. It featured a high pitched roof, and could also boast of a long, wide verandah which was more than likely a popular meeting place for the town’s citizens. The building remained in use as a courthouse for 117 years, proof positive that it was truly built to last. After all this time though, it was in need of renovations. In 1986, those who had office space in the courthouse moved to the new courthouse that had been erected in another location in town, Murray Street.
The big question now was what do do with the old, vacated courthouse? After much debate, it was decided to renovate it because the building had so much historic value. In 1988, a Permanent Conservation Order No. 544 was granted by use of the Heritage Act of 1977. The structure was now protected from being demolished. Now, the city needed to come up with the money for renovations.
A few years passed. Then, in 1993, the work needed to restore the building to its former functional glory was begun. Where did the money for this come from? A grant from the Commonwealth Government Heritage Properties Restoration Program! They contributed $75,000, and this amount was generously matched by the Hastings Council and also by donations from the people of the community.
The “Friends of the Courthouse” give guided tours of the renovated courthouse in for an admission fee on Monday through Friday, from 10 AM to 3:30 PM, and on Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 PM. It is possible that your accommodation in Port Macquarie could be within walking distance of this historic building.
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