VIC Wonthaggi ARC List Magistrates Court List Today

The Wonthaggi ARC List Magistrates' Court is a specialist therapeutic list that sits within the Wonthaggi Magistrates' Court at Watt Street, Wonthaggi, Victoria 3995, in the Bass Coast Shire of Gippsland. The Assessment and Referral Court (ARC) List is not a separate courthouse but a dedicated stream of the Magistrates' Court of Victoria designed for accused people living with a mental illness or cognitive impairment. If you are trying to confirm a hearing, locate a defendant, or check the daily running order for this list, you can search the published court listings by name and access the same-day schedule for the Wonthaggi ARC venue in one place, without navigating multiple government portals.

Wonthaggi sits roughly 132 kilometres south-east of Melbourne and is the largest town in South Gippsland, so its court serves a wide regional catchment across the Bass Coast and surrounding rural communities. The ARC List commenced at Wonthaggi in July 2019, forming part of a broader statewide rollout of the program into regional Victoria. Understanding how this list operates, who is eligible, and what the daily list actually shows will help self-represented litigants, family members, legal practitioners, and journalists prepare properly before a hearing date.

What the Wonthaggi ARC List Magistrates' Court actually is

The Assessment and Referral Court List is a problem-solving list of the Magistrates' Court of Victoria that aims to help people address the underlying factors contributing to their offending behaviour. Rather than focusing purely on punishment, the ARC List applies therapeutic jurisprudence: it links eligible participants with case managers, health services, and structured support while their criminal matter progresses. The list is intended for accused people who have a diagnosed mental illness, an intellectual disability, an acquired brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, or a neurological impairment that is connected to their alleged offending.

The ARC program was first established in Victoria in 2010 and, according to figures presented by Magistrates' Court personnel, had received more than 1,100 referrals across its operating locations in its earlier years. The program expanded steadily into regional headquarters and satellite venues, with Moorabbin ARC commencing in January 2018, Frankston ARC in July 2018, and Latrobe Valley and Korumburra ARC both starting in December 2018, before the Wonthaggi ARC List began sitting in July 2019. This progression matters because it explains why a smaller regional town like Wonthaggi now hosts a specialist list that was once confined to metropolitan Melbourne.

Which matters and jurisdiction apply at Wonthaggi

The criminal jurisdiction of the Magistrates' Court hears and determines all summary offences, some indictable offences that can be dealt with summarily, and conducts committal hearings for more serious charges that may be referred to a higher court. On the civil side, the Magistrates' Court can hear disputes up to the value of $100,000, arising from debts, claims for damages, other monetary disputes, or equitable relief. The court also handles traffic and driving offences, and can make two types of intervention orders: personal safety intervention orders and family violence intervention orders.

The ARC List operates within this broader jurisdiction rather than replacing it. A matter usually begins in the mainstream criminal list, and only after a referral and an assessment by an ARC case manager does the court decide whether the case is suitable for the ARC stream. This is why the daily schedule at this venue may show both a general Magistrates' Court list and a separate ARC List running on the same sitting day.

Eligibility and the referral pathway

Entry into the ARC List is not automatic. A referral must be made before a matter can be heard in the list, and an assessment by an ARC case manager is required to confirm that the accused person meets the eligibility criteria. The court then makes the final decision on suitability. Practitioners and support workers should factor this two-step gateway into their timelines, because the assessment process can shift when a matter is actually listed for hearing.

Verified statistics on ARC List outcomes

The evidence base for the ARC model is one of its defining features. An Australian two-year recidivism study of the ARC List in the Magistrates' Court of Victoria examined 95 program participants and found that 55 of them, or 57.89 per cent, reoffended within 24 months of completing the program. The same study found that the average time to reoffending among those who did reoffend was approximately 6.5 months, and that 82 per cent of all reoffending occurred within the first year after program completion.

Critically, the research identified that successful completion of the ARC List was the single most significant predictor of either not reoffending at all or taking longer to reoffend, ahead of factors such as gender and pre-program offence severity. The authors concluded that the program is effective both at reducing recidivism and at reducing the severity of subsequent offending. A separate review of solution-focused interventions for drug-related offending observed that the Victorian ARC List appeared to have among the strongest evidence for effectiveness in reducing reoffending compared with similar diversion models.

Broader Victorian diversion data reinforces the direction of these findings. In an analysis of the state's Criminal Justice Diversion Program over a ten-year period, more than 93 per cent of people who received a diversion plan did not go on to reoffend within the study window, which is consistent with the pattern that structured, support-led responses tend to outperform purely punitive outcomes for suitable cohorts. For families and participants, these figures are a reminder that engagement with the list is not a formality but the factor most closely linked to a better long-term result.

Sitting days, hours, and contact details

The Wonthaggi Magistrates' Court is closed between 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm on sitting days, and only on-street parking is available near the Watt Street complex. Enquiries for the venue can be directed to the court coordinator by phone on (03) 9087 5732 or by email at wonthaggicoordinator@courts.vic.gov.au. Sitting days for a smaller regional venue can vary with the court calendar, so it is always wise to confirm before travelling, particularly for a specialist list that does not necessarily run every sitting day.

• Location: Watt Street, Wonthaggi, Victoria 3995 (Bass Coast Shire, Gippsland)
• Postal address: PO Box 104, Wonthaggi, Victoria 3995
• Lunch closure: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm on sitting days
• Parking: On-street parking only
• Civil jurisdiction limit: Disputes up to $100,000

What to bring and how to prepare

Anyone attending should arrive well before the listed time, pass through security screening on entry, and report to the registry to confirm their appearance. Neat, conservative dress is expected, and you should be prepared to remain at court for much of the day, since the running order can change. If you are represented, your solicitor will usually notify the registry of your appearance on your behalf. Bringing your charge sheet, any bail documents, and correspondence from the court will make check-in faster and reduce the risk of missing your matter being called.

How to read and search the daily court list

The daily list is the practical document that tells you which courtroom your matter is in and roughly when it will be reached. Because a regional venue like Wonthaggi may show only a handful of matters on the ARC List on a given day alongside its general list, being able to filter the schedule quickly is valuable. You can review the full daily Victorian court lists for every sitting venue in the state and then narrow down to the Wonthaggi entries, which is far quicker than scanning printed lists at the courthouse door.

For people whose matter relates to the mainstream criminal or traffic list rather than the therapeutic stream, the general Wonthaggi Magistrates' Court list covers those hearings. Regional Gippsland matters are also frequently transferred between neighbouring venues, so it can help to check the nearby Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court schedule and the Korumburra Magistrates' Court list, both of which run their own ARC and general lists within the same regional cluster.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Wonthaggi ARC List a different court from the Wonthaggi Magistrates' Court?

No. The ARC List is a specialist list that sits within the Wonthaggi Magistrates' Court. It uses the same courthouse and registry at Watt Street but applies a therapeutic, support-focused process for eligible accused people with a mental illness or cognitive impairment.

Who can be referred to the ARC List?

The list is for accused people who have a diagnosed mental illness, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, or a neurological impairment linked to their alleged offending. A referral and a case manager assessment are both required before the court decides whether a matter is suitable.

How do I find out if my matter is on the list today?

Check the published daily court list for the Wonthaggi venue, ideally the evening before or early on the sitting day, since running orders can change. Confirm details with the registry on (03) 9087 5732 if you are unsure which courtroom or list your matter falls under.

Does the ARC List actually reduce reoffending?

The evidence is encouraging. Research on the Victorian ARC List found that successful completion was the strongest predictor of not reoffending, and that the program reduced both the rate and the severity of later offending, though outcomes depend heavily on the participant's engagement with their support plan.

What happens if I miss my ARC hearing?

Missing a listed hearing can lead to serious consequences, including a warrant. If you cannot attend, contact the court registry as early as possible to explain your circumstances and ask about your options before the sitting day.