Old Toowoomba Court House

The Old Toowoomba Court House is a two-story brick structure featuring a hip roof with clerestory windows and symmetrical verandas covered in corrugated iron. The building displays the solid architectural style typical of mid-19th century colonial courthouses in regional Queensland towns.

Construction took place between 1861 and 1864 as a courthouse serving the region. The building later housed a female reformatory and functioned as a men's prison until 1903 before transitioning to cultural use.

The building became the Austral Museum in 1904 and continues to display regional artifacts and collections. It remains an active community space where local events and gatherings take place throughout the year.

The courthouse sits at 90 Margaret Street in central Toowoomba near Queens Park. Visitors will find the building active as a museum and community venue, with parts of the original external structure still visible today.

The building once housed DeMolay House, the only chapter of this youth leadership organization in Australia to have its own dedicated premises. This use shows how the structure adapted to serve different community needs over time.