High Court of Australia
Posted by: 
Tealby
S 35° 17.962 E 149° 08.124
55H E 694161 N 6091666
The High Court building is a National Building and one of Canberra's major tourist attractions.
Waymark Code: WM1Q02
Location: Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Date Posted: 06/20/2007
Views: 50
From the website:
The High Court is situated in the Parliamentary Triangle, on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin between the National Science and Technology Centre and the National Gallery of Australia.
The building is a unique structure. Forty metres tall and constructed mainly of concrete and glass, it has four main elements: a large public hall, three courtrooms, an administrative wing, and Justices' chambers.
Public visitors may view:
-the Great Hall, which includes an educational display and video area, and often features exhibitions or performances by cultural organisations; and
-the three courtrooms, which are the focus of the building's activities.
Court Attendants are on hand at strategic points in the building to explain the operation of the Court, its history, and to guide you through this spectacular building.
The building is surrounded by parkland which provides an ideal venue for lunch on fine days.
The High Court of Australia was formally established in 1901 under section 71 of the Australian Constitution. Its role is to interpret and apply the laws of Australia, to decide cases of federal significance, and to hear appeals from federal, state, and territory courts. While the High Court is the highest avenue of appeal in Australia, further appeals could be made to the Privy Council in Britain until 1975.
By 1906, the High Court had become established as a viable, effective and necessary part of the Australian judicial system. The increasing demands on the High Court led to the number of justices being increased to five in 1906, and then to seven in 1913. The primary registry of the High Court was initially located in Melbourne, and from 1973 in Sydney. When this High Court building was finished in 1980 the administration was transferred to Canberra.
Records held by the Archives about the High Court date from 1901, and include judges’ notebooks, correspondence between High Court members, reports on issues involving the High Court, records of Court judgements and a range of images of the High Court.
Year Built: 1980
Current Use of Building: High Court
Level of Courts: Federal
Architect: The building was designed by the architectural firm of Edwards Madigan Torzillo and Briggs Pty Ltd, who were the winners of a national architectural competition held in 1972 and 1973.
Dates this building was used to house judicial proceedings: (1980-present)
Physical Address:
Parkes Place, Barton, Canberra
Hours:
The building is open to the public from 9:45am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday, except public holidays. The cafeteria is open from 9:45am to 4:15pm during the week.
Admission to the High Court building is free of charge.
Related Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
At least one original photograph should be added to the gallery. And please describe your impressions and visit to the courthouse.