Supreme Court of Victoria Building, Judicial courthouse in Melbourne, Australia

The Supreme Court of Victoria is a courthouse on William Street in Melbourne, built in the Classical Renaissance Revival style. At its center sits a circular courtyard, and the courtrooms are arranged around it throughout the building.

Construction began in 1874 and finished in 1884, making it the largest building project in Australia at the time. It was built during a period when the colony of Victoria was growing fast and needed permanent institutions to support public life.

The bronze Lady Justice above the William Street entrance is about twice life size and replaced an earlier stone statue. She is shown without a blindfold, and her scales rest on her knee rather than being held aloft. The figure is a detail visitors can spot from the street.

The building sits on William Street and is easy to reach by public transport, with bus stops and train stations close by. Some areas inside are only open when hearings are in session, so it is worth checking in advance if you want to see the courtrooms.

The building has a square plan where each facade measures about 85 meters (280 feet), giving it a near-perfect geometric form when seen from above. Along the outer walls, blind arcades alternate with a double arcade of Ionic and Composite columns, a pairing that is rarely seen on Australian public buildings.