NSW Gilgandra Local Court List Today

Gilgandra Local Court is a circuit sitting of the Local Court of New South Wales, serving the town of Gilgandra and the surrounding Orana region in central-western NSW. Although it is one of the smaller court locations in the state, it forms part of the busiest tier of the NSW justice system. The Local Court is the entry point for the overwhelming majority of legal matters in New South Wales, and in the 2024/25 reporting year it accounted for roughly 94 per cent of all finalised criminal court appearances in the state. For residents of Gilgandra Shire, which has a population of a little over 4,200 people, this courthouse is the local face of that system.

This guide explains where the court sits, how to contact the registry, what types of cases it hears, how the wider Local Court performs, and what you can expect if you have a matter listed. The information is drawn from the Local Court of New South Wales and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR).

Where Gilgandra Local Court is located

The courthouse stands at 10 Myrtle Street, Gilgandra NSW 2827, alongside the Gilgandra Police Station in the centre of town. Gilgandra sits at the junction of the Newell, Oxley and Castlereagh highways, which is why the town is often described as a gateway to the Warrumbungle National Park. The registry for Gilgandra is administered through Dubbo Local Court, and most postal correspondence is directed there.

Contact details

• Street address: 10 Myrtle Street, Gilgandra NSW 2827
• Postal address: C/- Dubbo Court, PO Box 50, Dubbo NSW 2830
• Phone: 1300 679 272 (alternate 0476 802 996)
• Fax: 6847 1826
• Email: local-court-gilgandra@justice.nsw.gov.au

Registry and telephone hours

Because Gilgandra is a circuit location rather than a daily court, the registry counter operates on a limited schedule. Registry hours are generally 9:30am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 3:30pm, while telephone enquiries are answered from 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. The courthouse itself is open on scheduled court days. Before travelling, it is wise to confirm your listing, because sitting days at smaller circuit courts can be adjusted at short notice.

Getting to the courthouse

Gilgandra is around a six hour drive from Sydney. The nearest regional airport is at Dubbo, roughly 40 minutes to the south, which is the option most out-of-town legal representatives use before continuing by road. Parking is available on the streets surrounding the courthouse. There is no dedicated multi-storey car park, so allow extra time on busy sitting days.

A brief history of the Gilgandra courthouse

The land on which Gilgandra stands is the traditional Country of the Wiradjuri people. Formal court sittings in the town date back to 1884, when Courts of Petty Sessions first convened here. A permanent court presence developed over the following decades, and the timber courthouse on Myrtle Street has served the district since the early twentieth century. The building is a modest but characterful example of early regional court architecture, and for a period the local police even operated from a room within it. Gilgandra is also historically significant as the birthplace of the 1915 Cooee March, a wartime recruitment march to Sydney, which is why the town carries the nickname "home of the Cooee".

What Gilgandra Local Court deals with

Like every Local Court in New South Wales, Gilgandra operates under the Local Court Act 2007 (NSW) and exercises three broad areas of jurisdiction: criminal, civil, and protective.

Criminal jurisdiction

The court hears summary offences in full, meaning less serious matters that are finalised by a magistrate without a jury. It also deals with a large category of indictable offences that can be resolved summarily where the law allows or the accused elects. Typical matters include:

• Traffic offences such as drink driving, drug driving, driving while suspended or disqualified, and negligent driving
• Common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm
• Drug possession and lower-level drug supply
• Larceny, fraud, property damage and break and enter
• Firearms and weapons offences
• Bail applications, sentencing, and section 14 mental health applications

Where a charge is too serious to be finalised locally, the court conducts committal proceedings and refers the matter upward to the District Court.

Civil jurisdiction

The Local Court resolves civil disputes about money and property through two divisions. The Small Claims Division hears claims up to $20,000 and uses less formal procedures where the strict rules of evidence do not apply. The General Division hears claims over $20,000 and up to $100,000, with a lower cap of $60,000 for claims arising from personal injury or death. Common civil matters include unpaid debts, contract disputes, and damage arising from motor vehicle accidents.

Apprehended violence orders and protective matters

The court also determines applications for apprehended violence orders (AVOs), which are protective orders designed to keep a person safe from threats, harassment or violence. Where a specialist Children's Magistrate is not available, Local Court magistrates also deal with Children's Court matters.

How busy is the Local Court? NSW statistics in context

The scale of the Local Court system is significant, and understanding it helps put a single sitting location like Gilgandra in perspective. According to BOCSAR, the NSW criminal courts finalised 151,113 court appearances in 2024/25, an increase of 7.4 per cent on the previous year. Of these, the Local Court alone finalised 141,616 matters, up 7.7 per cent, which represents about 94 per cent of all criminal finalisations in the state.

Several trends are worth understanding if you have a matter before any NSW Local Court:

• Domestic violence is a growing share of the workload. DV-related finalisations rose 12.1 per cent and now make up 27.1 per cent of all Local Court finalisations, up from 26.0 per cent the year before.
• Most charges are proven. Across the NSW criminal courts, around 86 per cent of finalised defendants had at least one proven charge, while about 8 per cent of matters were withdrawn by the prosecution.
• Delay has eased slightly. The median time to finalise a defended hearing in the Local Court was 263 days, which is 16 days shorter than the previous year, although still longer than pre-pandemic levels.
• Traffic dominates the offence mix. Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences remain the single largest category of guilty findings statewide, ahead of offences against justice procedures, acts intended to cause injury, drug offences and theft.

What happens on a court day at Gilgandra

On a sitting day, matters are listed and published in advance. You can check the time, date and courtroom for your case through the NSW Online Registry court lists, which display listings up to roughly three weeks ahead and one week back. A first appearance is usually a "mention", where the court checks the status of the matter, sets timetables, or takes a plea. Defended hearings, sentencing and bail applications are listed separately. Gilgandra is served by magistrates on the regional circuit that also covers Dubbo and the wider Orana district, so the presiding magistrate can vary from one sitting to the next.

Serious matters and appeals: the link to Dubbo District Court

Not every case can be finalised at Gilgandra. Serious indictable offences, and appeals against Local Court decisions, are dealt with in the District Court of New South Wales, with the nearest District Court sittings held at Dubbo. If you are dissatisfied with a conviction or sentence handed down in the Local Court, you generally have a right to appeal to the District Court, subject to strict time limits. Because those deadlines are short, anyone considering an appeal should seek advice promptly.

When the Local Court cannot deal with a matter, the file moves to the District Court, and for the Orana region that means Dubbo. Committals, serious trials and sentence appeals from Gilgandra are almost always heard at the Dubbo District Court. Registry staff for both venues work from the same Dubbo office, so if you need to file documents or ask about a listing between sitting days, that is where your call is usually answered.

Practical information for people attending

• Arrive early and dress neatly. Turn your phone to silent before entering the courtroom.
• Bring all paperwork, including your court attendance notice, any bail documents, and character references if you are being sentenced.
• If you cannot attend on your listed date, do not simply fail to appear. Failing to appear can result in the matter proceeding in your absence or a warrant being issued.
• Free and low-cost legal help may be available through Legal Aid NSW and the local duty solicitor service, subject to eligibility.

Frequently asked questions

Is Gilgandra Local Court open every weekday?

No. Gilgandra is a circuit court that opens on scheduled court days rather than every weekday. The registry is administered through Dubbo, so it is best to confirm your listing before attending.

How do I find out when my case is listed?

You can search the NSW Online Registry court lists by name, case number, location and listing type. Listings are typically available for the coming three weeks.

What is the difference between the Local Court and the District Court?

The Local Court, including Gilgandra, deals with summary matters, committals, civil claims up to $100,000 and AVOs. The District Court handles serious indictable offences, jury trials and appeals, with the nearest sittings at Dubbo.

Can I represent myself?

Yes. Many people self-represent, particularly in the Small Claims Division. However, for criminal matters or claims of any complexity, legal advice is strongly recommended, especially given that most finalised charges across NSW result in a proven outcome.

How much can I claim in a civil dispute at Gilgandra?

Up to $20,000 in the Small Claims Division and over $20,000 up to $100,000 in the General Division, with a $60,000 cap for personal injury or death claims.

What happens if my matter is too serious for the Local Court?

The magistrate will conduct committal proceedings and refer the case to the District Court, where it will be dealt with by a judge and, in a trial, a jury.

If you have driven to Gilgandra for the wrong court, other nearby circuit venues may be what you are after. The same magistrates travel the district, and lists for the Coonamble court list, Narromine court list and Warren Local Court are published separately. Check the venue name on your attendance notice carefully, because a matter listed at one town will not be called at another.