The building highlighted in discussions of Western Australia’s bicentenary history is the Old Court House, a heritage structure completed in 1836 that still stands today in central Perth.
Located beside the Supreme Court Gardens, the Old Court House holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving public building in Perth and one of the earliest remaining structures from the Swan River Colony era.
Designed by colonial civil engineer Henry Willey Reveley, the building was constructed in 1836 and officially opened in 1837. It was originally intended to serve multiple civic purposes, functioning as a courtroom, a place of worship, and even a temporary school during Perth’s early development.
Historical records show that the building immediately became a central hub for colonial life. Court hearings were held there almost as soon as it opened, dealing with a wide range of early legal cases in the young settlement. At the same time, it was used for church services and public gatherings, reflecting the limited infrastructure available in early Perth.
The Old Court House is often referenced alongside the Round House, which was completed in 1831 and is technically the oldest surviving building in Western Australia overall. However, the Round House was built as a gaol, while the Old Court House is the oldest surviving public civic building in Perth city itself.
The structure is a simple Georgian-style building made of stone rubble with a stucco finish. Its small scale reflects the early colonial period when Perth was still a developing settlement with limited resources and population.
Over the years, the building has served many roles. After its initial use as a court, it later became an arbitration court in the early 20th century, then the headquarters of the Law Society of Western Australia. In more recent decades, it has been preserved as the Old Court House Law Museum, operated by the Law Society of WA.
Today, the museum showcases Western Australia’s legal and civic history, preserving artefacts and stories from the colonial justice system through to modern legal development. Visitors can explore how early governance, law enforcement, and public administration evolved in the state.
Heritage experts consider the building significant not only for its age but also for its symbolic role in the establishment of British law and governance in Western Australia. It is listed on the State Register of Heritage Places and remains one of the most visited historical sites in central Perth.
During bicentenary reflections on Western Australia’s history, the Old Court House is frequently cited as one of the most important surviving structures representing early European settlement and civic development in the state.
