DUNOLLY COURT HOUSE
44 MARKET STREET DUNOLLY, CENTRAL GOLDFIELDS SHIRE

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Statement of Significance
The Dunolly Court House was built in the market square in 1862 as the Dunolly Municipal Chambers, to designs by Charles Toutcher of Maryborough. It was used for this purpose until deemed too small and subsequently moved to the court house building constructed in Broadway in 1884. The Municipal Chambers were then converted to a court house by the Public Works Department in 1890, this involving some internal alterations and external additions, which were carried out within the context of the original design. The building was used as a court house until 1981 when it was one of a large number of Victorian court houses which were closed. It has since been converted into a tourist information centre.
Dunolly became established as a township due to the gold rush and grew rapidly from 1858 when it was surveyed and land was sold. It grew as an administration centre for the goldfields and buildings constructed from the late 1850s reflected the expectations of continued growth of the town. Although it prospered as a centre for mining, this expectation was never realised. The former municipal chamber building was one of the early public buildings constructed at the market square, designed to become the commercial and social hub of the thriving gold town. This never eventuated and nearby Broadway became the focal point of the town.
The brick court house building has a symmetrical front facade, with a dominant, pedimented central section and a porch supported on paired square columns. Small single storey hip roofed wings are located either side of this central section. Rendering provides emphasis to rusticated corners, the central porch and pediment, and to keystones above window openings, including the centrally placed circular window of the front and rear elevations.
How is it significant?
The Dunolly Court House is of historical and architectural significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
The Dunolly Court House is of historical significance as a landmark in the former gold mining town. Together with a range of buildings constructed in Dunolly from the late 1850s, it represents the growth and development that took place there in the immediate post-alluvial gold rush period. It also reflects the change in focus of Dunolly away from the market square to Broadway.
The Dunolly Court House is of architectural significance as a substantially intact example of a classically designed provincial hall. It is a substantial building of simple design, reflecting the anticipated growth of the town in 1862.
[Online Data Upgrade Project 2004]
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DUNOLLY COURT HOUSE - History
The Dunolly Court House was built in the market square in 1862 as the Dunolly Municipal Chambers, to designs by Charles Toutcher of Maryborough. It was used for this purpose until deemed too small and subsequently moved to the court house building constructed in Broadway in 1884. The Municipal Chambers were then converted to a court house by the Public Works Department in 1890, this involving some internal alterations and external additions, which were carried out within the context of the original design. The building was used as a court house until 1981 when it was one of a large number of Victorian court houses which were closed. It has since been converted into a tourist information centre.
Dunolly became established as a township due to the gold rush and grew rapidly from 1858 when it was surveyed and land was sold. It grew as an administration centre for the goldfields and buildings constructed from the late 1850s reflected the expectations of continued growth of the town. Although it prospered as a centre for mining, this expectation was never realised. The former municipal chamber building was one of the early public buildings constructed at the market square, designed to become the commercial and social hub of the thriving gold town. This never eventuated and nearby Broadway became the focal point of the town.
The draft statement of significance and the above history were produced as part of an Online Data Upgrade Project 2004. Sources were as follows:
J. Flett. Dunolly: story of an old gold diggings. Melbourne 1980
C. McConville & Assoc. Shire of Bet Bet Conservation Study. 1987DUNOLLY COURT HOUSE - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:General Conditions: 1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object. General Conditions: 2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. Note: All archaeological places have the potential to contain significant sub-surface artefacts and other remains. In most cases it will be necessary to obtain approval from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria before the undertaking any works that have a significant sub-surface component.General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and planall works shall be in accordance with it. Note:A Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Planprovides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan.
General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions. General Conditions: 5. Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable. Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works must submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.
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