Editor Pick
Busselton Old Courthouse
- March 9, 2008
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Red Mezz from Inverness, Scotland
Just a few minutes walk from the famous Busselton jetty brings you to one of the historic bits of Busselton, and a site worth popping in for a look at.
Busselton's old courthouse is the oldest building in Busselton - built in 1854, and as such has some of the richest historical significance and stories in the area.
Wandering into this little court house - which is very well maintained and keep truly in the spirit of the time which it was build, this is a place where you really feel the weight and importance of all that has happened there.
It's not a very large place - and will likely take you around 10 - 15 minutes to explore. But it's a nice detour from the beaches and jetties and ice cream of the coast and a wonderful reprise from the roasting sun it seems is always beaming down on Busselton.
Best of all - aside from this simply being a historic landmark for age and importance and including all the history involved in being Busselton's old courthouse, post office and jail - it has been converted into an art gallery in recent years. The ArtGeo gallery, which is in charge of the displays here, keep a changing exhibition and show many different kinds of local art and artist's work.
It's a bit of a strange combination - but the impression it leaves is rather unique. You walk in the side door - which leads you almost immediately down a long, low, dark hallway into what used to be the jail cells. Here you get the full impact of what staying in a Western Australian jail may have been like in the early 1900's - the tiny grubby dark cells still feel heavy with the weight of emotion spent in them.
It's a surprisingly powerful experience.
Leaving this you walk into the one room wooden court room, the smell sharp with sting of aged, oiled wood and the sobriety of the law still hangs closely about the place.
And yet - amidst all this library-like quiet, is lots of interesting and local art, decorating what would otherwise be a very serious chamber.
It's oddly impressive.
And best of all - it's free and well worth a quick stop in. For the art, or for the history.
The courthouse is open every day from 10 am - 4 pm.
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