KORUMBURRA COURT HOUSE (FORMER)
12 SILKSTONE ROAD, and SOUTH GIPPSLAND HIGHWAY KORUMBURRA, SOUTH GIPPSLAND SHIRE
Coal Creek Heritage Park
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The former Korumburra Court House, designed by W. Mackay or J.B. Cohen and constructed by John Eadie in 1899 at Bridge Road, Korumburra and now located at Coal Creek Community Park & Museum.
Why is it significant?
The former Korumburra Court House is of local historic and aesthetic significance to South Gippsland Shire.
Historically, it was the second Court House to be constructed in the Shire and, although no longer on its original site, it demonstrates the development of government institutions in the Shire. It is also of interest as the first building to be relocated to the Coal Creek Heritage Village. (AHC criteria - A.4, D.2 and G.1)
Aesthetically, it is a rare and early example in the Shire of fine Federation (Queen Anne) timber detailing applied to basic building forms, and is one of only two known examples in Victoria of a Court House in the Federation Queen Anne style, which was more commonly used in residential architecture. (AHC criteria - B.2, E.1 and F.1)
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KORUMBURRA COURT HOUSE (FORMER) - Physical Description 1
The former Korumburra Court House, constructed in 1899, is basically a weatherboard clad gabled hall with a distinct cross hip/gabled element at the rear projecting beyond the west side of the main hall and a gabled projection from its side at the east. The original plan displayed in the foyer does not show the latter, and it is presumed to be a relatively early addition. The entry at the north is protected by a straight verandah, reconstructed to the original drawings with a ladder frame valance over a segmentally arched board and with square stop chamfered posts with neck moulds.
The gable end is filled with an elaborate bracketed frame with hammer beams and a flagpole, which is set around a group of three windows. The windows to the sides of the hall are fixed four panel sashes with hoppers over. There are small dormer vents to the roof space on both sides of the hall.
The west (rear) gable has a slightly less complex end frame and a skillion porch against the side of the hall with an arched valance as shown on the drawing. The east gable is of similar detail, but with a hipped porch. There is an internal wind lobby with dual side doors inside the double front doors.
The interior of the court is finished in varnished beaded tongue and groove lining boards, vertical as the dado and horizontal above. The roof has collar tie trusses and a side fireplace with a bracketed mantel. The room is furnished with typical courtroom furniture of the period including a prisoner's dock and a witness box. The bench and jury box, constructed in L formation at the end of the room, have a diagonal board dado as a balustrade and are assumed to be original, although perhaps altered. A highlight window is located above the gutter line abutment of the rear gable with the end of the main hall.
The Clerk of Courts room in the east extension also has a fireplace and chimney, but the fireplaces and chimney to the Magistrates rooms in the rear gable have been omitted, presumably in the relocation (some evidence of the roof penetration remains).
There is a timber portable lockup at the rear of the court building which has been sheeted over with vertical boards.
The Court House was originally located on a site in Bridge Street, Korumburra before being moved to its present location in the early 1970s. The siting of the Court House close and parallel to a steep bank and facing a stand of trees and the sides of minor buildings is unfortunate. It requires the more open frontage within a reserve facing a road, which is characteristic of such buildings of its timeHeritage Study and Grading
South Gippsland - South Gippsland Heritage Study
Author: David Helms with Trevor Westmore
Year: 2004
Grading: Local
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