NSW Kiama Local Court List Today

Kiama Local Court is the summary jurisdiction courthouse serving Kiama and the wider southern Illawarra. It sits at 34-36 Terralong Street in the centre of town, alongside the Kiama Police Station, and ranks among the oldest public buildings on the New South Wales South Coast. The courthouse was designed by colonial architect Alexander Dawson and completed in 1861, and it continues to hear local criminal, traffic and civil matters more than 160 years later. If you have a case listed here, this page explains how to check the Kiama Local Court list, when the court sits, which matters it handles, and what to expect on the day.

Kiama lies roughly 120 kilometres south of Sydney, about a 90 minute drive, and is served by regular rail services running between Sydney, Wollongong and Nowra. Because it operates as a circuit court rather than a daily-sitting registry, planning your attendance around the correct sitting day matters more here than at a metropolitan courthouse.

Where Kiama Local Court Sits

Address and contact details

• Street address: 34-36 Terralong Street, Kiama NSW 2533
• Postal address: PO Box 27, Kiama NSW 2533
• Phone: 1300 679 272 (8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday)
• Fax: 4232 7190
• Email: local-court-kiama@justice.nsw.gov.au
• Audio Visual Link (AVL): facilities are available at this location for remote appearances

Sitting days and registry hours

Kiama Local Court is not open every weekday. The court generally sits on the first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of each month, and the registry is staffed on court sitting days only. When the counter is open, registry hours are 9:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Telephone enquiries are handled through the statewide number from 8:30am to 4:30pm on business days. Because the sitting calendar can shift around public holidays and circuit changes, always confirm the exact date of your listing before you travel.

How to Find the Kiama Local Court List

The Kiama Local Court list sets out the date, time and courtroom for every matter listed, covering appearances up to three weeks in the future and roughly one week in the past. The list is published through the NSW Online Registry and the public court lists service, and you can search it several ways:

• By the name of the person whose matter is listed
• By case number
• By court location and date
• By jurisdiction (criminal, civil, or apprehended violence order)
• By the title of the presiding officer
• By listing type, such as mention, hearing, sentence or trial

Checking the list the afternoon before your court date is sensible, because listings can be reallocated between courtrooms or adjourned at short notice. If your matter does not appear where you expect, phone the registry rather than assuming it has been dropped.

What Matters Are Heard at Kiama Local Court

The Local Court of New South Wales is the busiest court in the state, and the tier where almost all criminal prosecutions begin and most are finalised. Kiama Local Court exercises that same summary jurisdiction for its catchment.

Criminal and traffic matters

The court deals with summary offences and many indictable offences that can be finalised in the Local Court, including:

• Common assault, affray and other minor personal violence offences
• Theft, shoplifting and property damage
• Drug possession and minor supply matters
• Drink driving, drug driving, speeding and licence offences
• Bail applications and first appearances for more serious charges

More serious indictable matters, such as major assaults or large-scale drug supply, start at Kiama for a committal mention and are then referred to a higher court. In the Illawarra, those matters typically move to the District Court registry at Wollongong for sentence or trial.

Civil claims, AVOs and appeals

Kiama Local Court also hears civil disputes within the Local Court limit of $100,000, including debt recovery and small claims. If a dispute exceeds that threshold, it is dealt with in the District Court or higher. The court additionally manages applications for Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders and Apprehended Personal Violence Orders, appeals against certain administrative decisions such as licence suspensions, and some family law property and residence matters within its power.

Kiama Local Court in Context: Local and Statewide Statistics

Crime in the Kiama local government area

The volume of work reaching Kiama Local Court tracks the level of crime recorded across the Kiama local government area, which had an Australian Bureau of Statistics population of 23,074 at the 2021 Census. According to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, the Kiama LGA recorded 857 criminal incidents in the year to June 2025, a rate of about 3,714 incidents per 100,000 residents. That rate sits below the statewide figure, which is consistent with Kiama's long-term status as one of the safer coastal local government areas in New South Wales.

The offence mix that flows into the courthouse is dominated by property crime. In the same period the most common recorded offences were theft (335 incidents), drug offences (74) and assault (67). Over the past decade the overall recorded crime rate in the LGA has trended downward, which helps explain why Kiama operates as a monthly circuit court rather than a daily-sitting registry.

How the NSW Local Court workload has grown

While Kiama itself is a smaller court, the pressures shaping it are statewide. BOCSAR figures show the NSW Local Court finalised 141,616 matters in 2024/25, an increase of 7.7 per cent, or 10,168 additional matters, on the previous year. Domestic violence related matters have become a defining part of that workload, rising 12.1 per cent and now making up 27.1 per cent of all Local Court finalisations, more than one in four cases. The proportion of proven matters resulting in a custodial penalty across the NSW criminal courts reached 10.0 per cent in 2024/25.

Delay has also grown. The statewide median time from arrest to finalisation for a defended Local Court hearing was 263 days in 2024/25. That figure is a useful benchmark if your Kiama matter is heading to a defended hearing, because a contested case will usually be adjourned across several sitting cycles before it is finalised.

Getting to Kiama Local Court

By train

Kiama Railway Station is about a 5 to 10 minute walk from Terralong Street, with regular services connecting Kiama to Wollongong and Sydney to the north and Nowra to the south. Rail is often the easiest option on busy sitting days when street parking fills quickly.

By car

Street parking is available in the surrounding blocks, with additional public parking nearby. Spaces near the courthouse are limited on sitting mornings, so arrive early and allow time to find a spot and clear security.

Accessibility

Wheelchair access and accessible facilities are available. If you need an interpreter or other assistance, contact the registry ahead of your listing so arrangements can be made in advance.

Preparing for Your Court Date

A little preparation reduces the stress of attending. The following points apply to most people appearing at Kiama Local Court:

• Confirm your listing on the court list the day before, and note the courtroom and start time.
• Arrive at least 30 minutes early to clear the entrance and locate your courtroom.
• Bring identification, any documents relevant to your matter, and the details of any legal representative acting for you.
• Dress neatly and turn off your phone before entering the courtroom.
• Recording, eating and drinking are not permitted inside the courtroom.
• Seek legal advice before your date, whether through a private lawyer, Legal Aid NSW or a community legal centre.

If your matter is complex or you face a real risk of a criminal record or custodial penalty, obtaining advice early is worthwhile. Many defendants who live further south choose to check listings at both Kiama and the neighbouring Albion Park Local Court, since minor Illawarra matters are sometimes reallocated between nearby registries when a sitting day is fully booked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Kiama Local Court located?

The courthouse is at 34-36 Terralong Street, Kiama NSW 2533, next to the Kiama Police Station and a short walk from Kiama Railway Station.

What days does Kiama Local Court sit?

Kiama generally sits on the first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of each month, and the registry is open on sitting days only. Always confirm your specific date, as circuit sittings can move around public holidays.

How do I check if my case is listed?

Search the public court lists through the NSW Online Registry using your name, case number, or the court location and date. Listings appear up to three weeks ahead and about one week in the past.

Can I represent myself at Kiama Local Court?

Yes. You are entitled to appear on your own behalf, although seeking legal advice beforehand is strongly recommended, particularly for criminal or traffic charges that carry a penalty or a record.

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

Serious indictable matters begin at Kiama and are then committed to a higher court. For the Illawarra, these are usually referred to the District Court at Wollongong. You can review nearby listings at Wollongong Local Court, the busiest registry in the region.

Which other South Coast courts are nearby?

The closest alternatives are the Illawarra courts at Wollongong and Albion Park to the north, and Nowra Local Court to the south, which serves the Shoalhaven. Checking the correct courthouse before you travel avoids attending the wrong registry.

Are audio visual appearances available?

Yes. Kiama Local Court has Audio Visual Link facilities, which can allow certain appearances to be made remotely. Ask the registry whether your matter is eligible.