Bowen Courthouse: Difference between revisions

<!-- Article title: '''Bowen Courthouse''' siteId: 14819 placeRef:600044 -->

| name = Bowen Courthouse

| locmapin = Queensland

| map_caption =

| location = 30 Williams Street, [[Bowen, Queensland|Bowen]], [[Whitsunday Region]], [[Queensland]], Australia

| beginning_label = Design period

| built = 1880

| built_for =

| designation1_number = 600044

| designation1_free1name = Significant period

| designation1_free2name = Significant components

| designation1_free3name = Builders

| designation1_free3value = Southall & Tracey

'''Bowen Courthouse''' is a heritage-listed [[courthouse]] at 30 Williams Street (corner with Herbert Street), [[Bowen, Queensland|Bowen]], [[Whitsunday Region]], [[Queensland]], Australia. It was designed by [[George St Paul Connolly]] of the [[Queensland Colonial Architect|Colonial Architect's Office]] and built in 1880 by Southall & Tracey. It is also known as Bowen Court House. It was added to the [[Queensland Heritage Register]] on 21 October 1992.<ref name=qhr>{{cite QHR|14819|Bowen Court House|600044|accessdate=1 August 2014}}</ref>

 

 

It is still in use today and contains most of the original furniture and features.<ref name=jag/>

The building was designed in the Colonial Architect's office during the time when [[Francis Drummond Greville Stanley|FDG Stanley]] was the Colonial Architect. Within the office, the design of the building is attributed to GS Connolly, who later became Colonial Architect himself. Both architects excelled in the classical revival style chosen, which was thought well suited to public buildings intended to convey a sense of stability and dignity, particularly a court which represented the power of the law. The building is on a corner site and designed so that the major street elevations each represented a separate function housed within the building; that to Herbert Street representing the Court and that to Williams Street the Post Office. The two elevations are linked stylistically by the use of arcades.<ref name=qhr/>

 

 

The building remained substantially unchanged for many years, apart from some minor additions and alterations. A verandah was added to the north-west elevation in 1913, and the balustrades and posts have been altered.<ref name=qhr/>

 

== Description ==

 

The building is "H" shaped in plan, with a small single story projection to the east corner which was originally a kitchen and bedroom. The wings are now occupied by offices and the court room is in the centre section, rising through both stories with a [[mezzanine]] level public gallery at the south east end.<ref name=qhr/>

 

 

The upper level offices have ripple iron ceilings, moulded timber [[architraves]] and [[chimney]] pieces. The internal doors are four-panelled with toplights and glazed [[french doors]] with toplights open onto the verandahs. There is a timber staircase with turned [[balusters]] in the north-west block, and a similar new stair in the south-east block. Ceilings in the lower level are fibrous plaster or masonite with cover strips.<ref name=qhr/>

Bowen Court House was listed on the [[Queensland Heritage Register]] on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.<ref name=qhr/>

 

 

The Bowen Court House is important in demonstrating the early prominence of Bowen, being considerably more grand than other early courts at Townsville and Charters Towers; both of which towns were to eclipse Bowen. As the first Supreme Court outside Brisbane, it also illustrates the way in which a legal system was established and government services provided in the developing north of the colony. The inclusion of a second function as a Post Office indicates both the need for economy and the importance given to the role of communications services.<ref name=qhr/>

 

 

The court house remains substantially unchanged since completion and retains the major components of its original furniture, which is now rare.<ref name=qhr/>

Bowen Court House is an important component of the streetscape of Bowen. It is a well designed and prominent public building and an excellent example of the high quality work produced by the Colonial Architects office.<ref name=qhr/>

 

 

It is associated with the life and work of GS Connolly (1847-1901) and FDG Stanley (1839-1897) of the Colonial Architects office who made a great contribution to the building of Queensland.<ref name=qhr/>

 

=== Attribution ===

 

== External links ==

{{Commons category-inline|Bowen Courthouse}}

[[Category:Queensland Heritage Register]]

[[Category:Bowen, Queensland]]

[[Category:History of Queensland]]

[[Category:Government buildings completed in 1881]]