King Street Courts Sydney
Designed as Australia’s first law courts by Francis Greenway for Governor Macquarie, what became the King Street Courts were originally intended as a school. The original law courts were redesigned as St James Church and subsequently the adjoining school was repurposed as courts.
Completed in 1828, the final building differed significantly from Greenway’s original plan and suffered from damp, overcrowding and insufficient roof support. Over several decades these defects were addressed and the courts still operate today.
We visited as part of Sydney is Open and were able to see each courtroom. Volunteers stationed throughout the building, let us gain an insight into the building and its operation.
One courtroom still has a bullet hole when someone on trial wrested a gun from a guard. The gun discharged and the man made a getaway. Not surprisingly gun security was improved and egress from the courtrooms tightened.
The room where prospective jurors waited still has the wooden barrel from which numbers were drawn to select jurors.
Restoration of the courthouse, has resulted in a modern courthouse while maintaining its historical significance.
Our photos are available for purchase on
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
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