The Goondiwindi Supreme and District Court handles the most serious criminal and civil matters heard in this part of the Darling Downs, sitting on circuit in a border town where Queensland meets New South Wales. Because Goondiwindi operates as a circuit location rather than a permanently staffed higher court, sitting dates are scheduled in blocks across the year, which makes an up to date daily law list essential for anyone attending. On this page you can view every matter currently listed at the Goondiwindi courthouse, including defendant references, listing times, courtroom allocations and the type of proceeding, all refreshed multiple times each day from official Queensland court records.
Goondiwindi sits roughly 350 kilometres south west of Brisbane on the banks of the Macintyre River, at the junction of five highways on the Queensland and New South Wales border. The Goondiwindi Region recorded a population of 10,310 at the 2021 Census, spread across a local government area of more than 19,000 square kilometres. That combination of a small resident population and a very large surrounding catchment is exactly why circuit courts matter here: the higher courts travel to the community so that regional and rural residents are not forced to make a 700 kilometre round trip to Brisbane for every serious hearing.
What the Goondiwindi Supreme and District Court deals with
The listings you see above cover work that flows through two of the three tiers of the Queensland court hierarchy. The District Court of Queensland is the intermediate court, and the Supreme Court of Queensland is the highest court in the state. Both travel on circuit to Goondiwindi, and the daily law list combines their scheduled matters into a single searchable view so you do not have to check multiple sources.
District Court matters at Goondiwindi
The District Court hears serious indictable criminal offences and mid range civil disputes. In its criminal jurisdiction it deals with charges such as armed robbery, sexual offences, grievous bodily harm, dangerous driving causing death and significant fraud, and it conducts jury trials for eligible matters. Following the reforms that commenced on 1 November 2010, the Court can hear indictable offences carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment or less, an increase from the previous ceiling of 14 years.
In its civil jurisdiction, the District Court hears claims up to a monetary limit of $750,000 under section 68 of the District Court of Queensland Act 1967. That threshold was lifted from $250,000 in the same 2010 reforms, and the Court also hears appeals from the Magistrates Court against conviction, sentence or civil judgment. To put the workload in context, the District Court of Queensland Annual Report 2023 to 2024 recorded 6,659 new criminal lodgements statewide, 6,684 criminal matters finalised at a clearance rate of 100.4 per cent, and 4,096 civil lodgements, a 5.9 per cent rise on the previous year.
Supreme Court matters at Goondiwindi
The Supreme Court exercises the broadest jurisdiction of any court in Queensland. It hears the most serious criminal offences, including murder, manslaughter and major drug trafficking, and it has unlimited civil jurisdiction, generally taking claims that exceed $750,000. It also handles complex commercial litigation, equity proceedings, corporate insolvency and probate. When a Supreme Court trial or sitting is scheduled at Goondiwindi during a circuit, the relevant matters appear in the same consolidated law list shown on this page.
Goondiwindi courthouse location and contact details
The Goondiwindi District Court is located at the town courthouse, and the registry functions on circuit are supported by local court staff. The verified details below are drawn from official Queensland Courts information and are useful to confirm before you travel, particularly on non sitting days when hours differ.
- Address: 21 Herbert Street, Goondiwindi QLD 4390 (PO Box 470)
- Phone: (07) 4671 8500
- Email: courthouse.goondiwindi@justice.qld.gov.au
- Business hours: 8:30am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:30pm, Monday to Thursday; 8:30am to 12:00pm on Friday
- Registry status: Circuit office of the District Court registry
Goondiwindi is one of more than 20 circuit centres where the higher courts sit each year, alongside towns such as Dalby, Roma, Stanthorpe, Warwick and Kingaroy. If your matter began in the local Magistrates Court and has been committed upward, you may find it helpful to cross check the Goondiwindi Magistrates Court list as well, since summary matters and committal hearings are handled at that level before serious charges reach the District or Supreme Court.
How circuit sittings work in regional Queensland
The District Court sits in 32 locations across Queensland, with resident judges based in centres such as Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Southport, Maroochydore and Ipswich. For everywhere else, judges travel on circuit so that matters can be heard close to where the parties, witnesses and legal representatives are based. Goondiwindi falls within this circuit network, which means listings here are concentrated into scheduled sitting periods rather than being available every single day.
This structure has a direct practical consequence: the composition of the Goondiwindi law list can change significantly between sitting blocks. A matter may be mentioned, adjourned to a later circuit, or transferred to a larger centre such as Toowoomba Supreme and District Court where sitting capacity is greater. Checking the list the evening before and again on the morning of your hearing is the safest approach, and it is exactly why the page above is refreshed multiple times daily.
Why an accurate daily court list matters
Court lists underpin the principle of open justice, the idea that justice must not only be done but be seen to be done. Solicitors and barristers use the list to confirm courtroom allocations and appearance times, legal support staff use it to brief clients, and members of the press, welfare agencies and the general public rely on it to follow proceedings. On this site, individual names are partially masked to balance open justice against personal privacy, a middle path that keeps the list publicly useful without exposing full personal details.
Accuracy also saves time and money. A missed or misread listing can mean a wasted trip of several hours across the Darling Downs, an adjournment, or in criminal matters a warrant for failing to appear. Because the higher courts pass through Goondiwindi on a circuit basis, a listing that was correct last month may no longer reflect the current sitting, which is why relying on a live, frequently updated list beats working from a printed schedule or an old email.
Preparing for a hearing at Goondiwindi
If you are attending the Goondiwindi Supreme and District Court, a short amount of preparation makes the day run more smoothly. The steps below apply whether you are a party, a witness or a support person.
- Confirm your listing on the day: Check the list above on the morning of your hearing, and note your courtroom and listing time.
- Arrive early: Aim to be at 21 Herbert Street at least 30 minutes before your listed time to clear any security screening and locate your courtroom.
- Bring your paperwork: Have your court documents, any bail undertakings and identification with you.
- Seek legal advice early: In serious criminal matters, obtaining advice before your first appearance puts you in the strongest position. Duty lawyer services and Legal Aid Queensland can assist eligible people.
- Dress and conduct: Dress neatly, switch off phones, and address the judge as "Your Honour".
For matters that fall below the higher court thresholds, or to understand where your case sits in the broader system, our Queensland Magistrates Court listings hub is a useful starting point. It covers the busiest tier of the hierarchy, where the vast majority of Queensland proceedings begin before any escalation to the District or Supreme Court.
Goondiwindi in the wider Darling Downs court network
Goondiwindi is part of a cluster of southern inland circuit centres that together service a vast, sparsely populated agricultural region. The Goondiwindi Region spans more than 19,000 square kilometres at a population density of roughly 0.5 people per square kilometre, so the courts here carry a genuine access to justice function for outlying communities such as Inglewood, Texas, Talwood and Bungunya. Nearby circuit and registry locations, including Dalby Supreme and District Court, share the load when scheduling or capacity requires matters to move between towns.
The District Court of Queensland remains one of the largest and busiest higher courts in Australia, and its circuit model is what keeps regional hearings viable. Understanding that Goondiwindi is a node in this larger network, rather than a standalone permanent court, helps explain why listings appear in bursts and why confirming the current sitting is so important.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Goondiwindi Supreme and District Court open every day?
No. Goondiwindi operates as a circuit location for the higher courts, so Supreme and District Court matters are heard during scheduled sitting periods rather than every day. The courthouse registry keeps its own business hours, but higher court listings depend on the circuit calendar, which is why you should always check the current daily law list.
Where is the Goondiwindi courthouse located?
The courthouse is at 21 Herbert Street, Goondiwindi QLD 4390, on the Queensland side of the Macintyre River near the New South Wales border. It is around 350 kilometres south west of Brisbane and can be reached by phone on (07) 4671 8500.
What is the difference between the District Court and the Supreme Court at Goondiwindi?
The District Court is the intermediate court and hears serious indictable offences and civil claims up to $750,000, along with appeals from the Magistrates Court. The Supreme Court is the highest court in Queensland, hearing the most serious offences such as murder and manslaughter and civil matters generally above $750,000, with unlimited civil jurisdiction.
How often is the Goondiwindi court list updated?
The list on this page is refreshed multiple times each day from official Queensland court records, so it reflects adjournments, transfers and newly added matters as they occur during a sitting.
Are full names shown on the court list?
Individual names are partially masked to balance open justice with the protection of personal privacy, so you can follow proceedings while sensitive personal details are limited.
What should I do if my matter is not on the list?
If you expected a hearing and cannot find it, your matter may have been adjourned to a later circuit or moved to another centre. Contact the Goondiwindi courthouse on (07) 4671 8500 or check with your legal representative before travelling.