Midland Courthouse (fmr)

Child Places

• 02530 Water Supply Office (fmr)

Statement of Significance

Midland Courthouse, a simple single storey brick and iron building has cultural heritage significance for the
following reasons:

• The place has historic value as an integral component of a precinct of civic buildings exhibiting a similar architectural style and coloration, comprising Midland Town Hall (1906-1907, 1923-1924), Midland Courthouse (1907), Mechanics Institute (1907) and Midland Post Office (1913), which define the historical civic precinct in Midland;
• The place is a fine example of Federation Academic Classical architecture, which is enhanced by a dynamic exterior featuring a central portico and classical mouldings;
• The place is a landmark at the junction of Helena Street and Great Northern Highways, and it impacts on important vistas which contribute to the cultural environs and identity of Midland; and,
• The place is a reminder of the development that took place in Midland Junction, in the early twentieth century, as a result of the establishment of the railway workshops.

Physical Description

Midland Courthouse is a simple, single-storey, rectangular-shaped building built in the Federation Academic Classical style which is symmetrical about a well-proportioned portico. The central portico dominates the front elevation in size and detail and contains an elevated, recessed porch and has a large, wide semi-circular archway, flanked by two smaller archways that are supported on rectangular columns. The columns and outer corners of the porch are faced with Donnybrook stone.
Above the arches, the walls are carried up in brickwork and are capped with a stone entablature and triangular pediment featuring classical mouldings. The pediment contains a painted cement Royal coat-of-arms and triangular-shaped decoration on each side. The coat-of-arms is set against a stone background that projects slightly forward of the pediment wall.
The height of the walls of the building is visually broken by string courses and two continuous, horizontal bands of stone. Window openings are arched with moulded stone. The interior of the porch is in matching brickwork with rendered bands that mimic the exterior walls, and painted stucco.
The building has gabled and hipped roofs clad in corrugated iron with timber battened eaves.

History

Midland Courthouse is a single-storey brick building constructed, in 1907, by the Public Works Department in Midland.
The decision by the government, in 1895, to relocate its railway workshops from Fremantle to Midland Junction was instrumental in the development and progress of the Midland area. At the same time, the Municipality of Helena Vale was established. However, in the years following this, the population of Midland Junction began to decline as the Government had yet to fulfil its promise to relocate the workshops. Following deputations from the local ratepayers, clearing of the site began in 1901, and by 1904 the complex had been completed.
The announcement, in 1900, that the construction of the new workshops, the most advanced and complete in Australia, was to commence, caused a sudden increase of commercial activity in Midland Junction. Following the new industrial expansion, building of commercial premises increased substantially. The expected increase in population also made necessary the provision of public amenities. These included a recreation ground (1901), electric lighting (1902), Council Chambers and Town Hall (1906,1923). The construction of Midland

Courthouse was part of this increase in the provision of public amenities.
The building was designed by the Public Works Department, under Chief Architect, Hillson Beasley. The contract for construction of the Midland Courthouse, and the Water Supply Office at the rear, was let to Mr Alfred Eade on 27 February 1907, for the amount of £1,9328/8/8.
Midland Courthouse was officially opened on 5 November 1907, with press coverage in both the West Australian and Swan Express.
The courthouse is situated on the triangular block in the centre of the town, facing Helena-street, on which block are also situated the new Town Hall and municipal offices, post-office and telephone exchange, goldfields water supply office and old public hall. The building is of pleasing design, well built in brick, with front and facings of dressed Donnybrook freestone. Ample accommodation is afforded for all work in connection with police and local court work, treasury business, and the district registrar’s office. The court proper is a fine lofty room, with furnishings of jarrah and ample ventilation. The offices are also well furnished, and the whole building is a credit to the department and contractors, as well as an ornament to the town.
Midland Junction Court House assumed the local court function for the Swan District that had, until then, been
held at Guildford. As the Swan Express reported:
The Local Court would not be held in future at Guildford. Perhaps it was that the people at Guildford were so law-abiding that they could not find the R.M. [Resident Magistrate] sufficient to do, and so the authorities had sent him Midland to see if the people of Midland could find him more work to do.
By 1913, the central triangle of land, which was almost completely filled with public buildings, formed a cohesive
centre to the townsite of Midland Junction.
Extensions were carried out to Midland Courthouse, possibly in the 1970s, though the Building Management Authority does not hold plans that show this. The building continued to function as a court house until 1987, when the new Midland Court House was opened in Spring Park Road. It was then vested with the Uniting Church. For a period of time, it was used as offices for the Marriage Guidance Council of Western Australia. Further alterations were carried out in 1988. In October 1995, the building is used for religious and administrative purposes.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High
Authenticity - Moderate: The building is no longer used as a public courthouse.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.