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A sepia photograph of the brick, Medieval Revival Moonee Ponds Courthouse in the 1890s with the original white picket fence and two suited men and two policemen
A black and white photograph of the interior of the courthouse from the Judge's Bench with paperwork in the foreground, featuring the plasterwork, original clock and public seating with nine members of the Essendon Historical Society
A colour photograph of the interior of the Courthouse, featuring the blackened plasterwork and exposed brickwork, burnt Judge's Bench and Witness Stand, scaffolding and charred wooden ceiling, open to the outside.
A colour photograph of the red brick, Medieval Revival Moonee Ponds Courthouse after its restoration following the 2016 fire with the Essendon Historical Society sign in the foreground.
A sepia photograph of the brick, Medieval Revival Moonee Ponds Courthouse in the 1890s with the original white picket fence and two suited men and two policemen

Moonee Ponds Court House Museum

Samuel Edward Bindley 1890

Description

Built in 1890 according to the designs of prominent Public Works architect, Samuel Edward Bindley, the Moonee Ponds Court House is characteristic of a late 19th-century Medieval Revival public building.

As the local seat of justice, the Court heard cases ranging from petty theft to disorderly conduct which, today, provide insight into the past.

In 1981, after a decade under the threat of demolition, the Court House became the home of the Essendon Historical Society as a museum. Since a disastrous fire in 2016, the Court House has been restored and revitalised and remains standing proudly in the hub of the locality.

What's On

Visitors are invited to enjoy a self-guided tour and explore the architecture of the building, learn about cases from the Court and the history of the building and locality, see the effects of the 2016 fire and peruse the sports exhibition ahead of the Paris Olympics. Volunteers will be on hand to answer questions.

Children's Activities

Young visitors are challenged to explore the sports exhibition with their own scavenger hunt activity.

Images: (1) The Moonee Ponds Courthouse, 1890s. (2) The Essendon Historical Society arrive at the Courthouse, 1980s. (3) After the fire at the Courthouse, 2016. (4) The Courthouse today, 2019. All photos courtesy of Essendon Historical Society. (5) The Moonee Ponds Courthouse, 1890s.

Important Details

Time & Date

Sunday 28 July
Open access 10am-5pm
No bookings required

ACCESSIBILITY

Fully wheelchair accessible, Accessible bathroom, Accessible parking nearby

Location

770 Mount Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039

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