Police Station/Court House, Langhorne Street, Dandenong, 1930s.

The Dandenong Court House, picture here, was built in the late 1930s, and officially opened in August 1939. This was a big day for Dandenong, with the opening of a dedicated Court House for the region. The newly built Police Station helped to create the scene.

In 1857 a fence was erected around the three acres of land (on the corner of Langhorne and Wilson Streets), the site of the first police camp and current site of the police complex.

The first building, built in 1859 comprised of officers’ quarters, a watch house and a lean-to, which was used as a stable. The original stables were built around three acres of land as part of the original police complex. The stables were repaired in the late 1870s but it wasn’t until the late 1880s that the stables building in question was built.

Works to the “Police Buildings at Dandenong Township” were tendered out on the 1 August 1859. The works were due to be completed on the 25 December 1859. An extension of eight weeks was granted.

In 1888/89 a contract, was let to Mathews a O’Halloran for the construction of new Police Quarters and Stables. This would indicate that the current stables were constructed around this time.

An excerpt from The Dandenong Journal, Wed 16 Aug 1939, on page 6, reads as follows:

PAST HISTORY

“The history of the administration of justice in Dandenong dates back to a very early period—as far back as May 5th, 1856,” added Mr Bailey. On that date the then Governor had declared Dandenong a place at which a Court of Petty Sessions should be held, and in 1859, the first court house was established. In 1874, many requests were made for better court facilities, but despite persistent agitation, it was not till 1890 that the court was transferred to portion of the new Town Hall. There it had remained until 1935, when the shire gave them “notice to quit,” but mellowed it by promising to make a substantial contribution to a new building. That promise had been fulfilled, and although the building had cost the Government about £3,000, the local contribution had been £l400 —a very creditable one indeed. (Applause).

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