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From the lofty grandeur of the court room to
the stark confines of the prison cells, the York
Courthouse Complex tells the intriguing story
of country policing from the days of the first
convicts to the late twentieth century.

York was Western Australia’s first inland town
(founded 1831) and in 1852 the first part of
the courthouse complex, the cell block and police
station, was built. As the town prospered and
expanded, so did the complex. A courtroom was
added in 1859, the police station was expanded,
and a troopers’ cottage, stables and yard were
built to the rear. With the influx of money
from the goldfields, part of the complex was
demolished and a new two-storey courthouse
was built in 1895.

The cells continued to be used until 1981 when
a new police station was built in the town. The
court room was still in use after the National
Trust acquired the property in 1983. Today
visitors can wander through the complex and,
assisted by interpretive film, photos, models,
children’s games and information panels, let their
imaginations fill the spaces.

Please visit the York Courthouse Website