WA Magistrates Court – South Hedland Courthouse List Today

The South Hedland Courthouse is the principal seat of justice for the Pilbara region of Western Australia, serving a resident population of roughly 11,046 people across South Hedland and the wider Town of Port Hedland. Sitting at Hawke Place, South Hedland WA 6722, the courthouse handles daily criminal, traffic, civil and restraining order matters for one of the most remote and economically significant districts in the country. Because South Hedland lies about 1,313 kilometres north of Perth and roughly 18 kilometres from Port Hedland, this registry carries a workload far heavier than its town size suggests, drawing defendants, applicants and witnesses from mining communities, coastal settlements and remote Aboriginal communities scattered across the northern Pilbara.

This page explains how the South Hedland court operates, what each court division does, how to read the daily court list, and what to expect if you have been listed for a hearing. Whether you are a self-represented accused, a family member supporting someone through the process, or a legal professional confirming a listing, the information below is drawn from official Western Australian court sources and current public records so you can prepare with confidence.

South Hedland Courthouse at a Glance

The courthouse operates as a shared regional justice complex, meaning a single building hosts multiple jurisdictions rather than a separate structure for each court tier. The registry manages listings for the Magistrates Court, District Court circuit sittings, and the Children's Court, and it processes filings, fine enforcement and restraining order applications for the surrounding communities. The key public details are set out below.

• Location: Hawke Place, South Hedland WA 6722
• Region: Pilbara, north-western Western Australia
• Local government area: Town of Port Hedland
• State electorate: Pilbara  |  Federal division: Durack
• Telephone: (08) 9172 9300
• Facsimile: (08) 9172 9330
• Distance from Perth: approximately 1,313 km
• Postcode: 6722

The registry counter handles document lodgement, payment of court-ordered fines, subpoena filing and general enquiries during standard business hours. Because the Pilbara operates in Western Standard Time (AWST), remember that South Hedland runs two hours behind the eastern states for most of the year, which matters when phoning the registry from interstate or arranging interstate legal representation.

Which Courts Sit at South Hedland

Understanding the court hierarchy helps you interpret your listing correctly, because the same courthouse hosts several distinct jurisdictions on different days. The three tiers most commonly relevant to South Hedland matters are described below.

Magistrates Court of Western Australia

The Magistrates Court is the first-tier court and handles the overwhelming majority of matters at South Hedland. Established in its current form under the Magistrates Court Act 2004 (WA), the state-wide Magistrates Court receives around 43,000 civil cases each year and operates from more than 60 venues, making it the most geographically widespread court system in Australia. At South Hedland the court hears summary criminal offences, traffic prosecutions, bail applications, and civil disputes. In its civil jurisdiction the court determines claims up to $75,000, with a simplified Minor Cases procedure for claims up to $10,000. This civil limit is deliberately lower than in most other states, reflecting a policy of channelling higher-value disputes to the District Court.

District Court Circuit Sittings

The District Court of Western Australia is the state's intermediate court, established on 1 April 1970 under the District Court Act 1969 (WA). South Hedland is one of only twelve country registries where the District Court sits on circuit, alongside Albany, Broome, Bunbury, Busselton, Carnarvon, Derby, Esperance, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha and Kununurra. During these circuit sittings the court hears more serious indictable matters such as serious assaults, sexual offences, armed robbery and larger commercial claims, along with sentencing for matters committed from the Magistrates Court. The court is led by Chief Judge Julie Anne Wager, who has held the role since 2 May 2020. If you are appealing an unsatisfactory Magistrates Court result, that appeal path generally runs to the District Court, so confirming your correct division on the daily list is essential.

Children's Court and Family Violence Matters

Youth criminal matters and protection and care applications involving children are dealt with under the Children's Court jurisdiction when it sits at South Hedland. The courthouse is also a high-volume venue for Family Violence Restraining Orders (FVROs) and Violence Restraining Orders (VROs), which are consistently among the highest-volume matter types across the entire Western Australian court system. Misconduct Restraining Orders (MROs), which deal with persistent nuisance or property damage rather than violence, are also determined here.

Why the South Hedland Registry Carries a Regional Load

South Hedland does not simply serve its own township. As the principal Pilbara registry, it absorbs matters transferred from smaller circuit locations when those venues cannot sit. In 2026, security and staffing pressures across regional Western Australia meant matters that would ordinarily be heard at Newman and the remote community of Jigalong were redirected to South Hedland. For residents of Jigalong, attending in person can involve a journey of around seven hours, including a stretch on unsealed road, which illustrates the enormous catchment this single courthouse services.

These distances are not trivial administrative details. They shape how the court runs its lists, why video and audio-link appearances have become common for regional Western Australian matters, and why checking your listing online before travelling can save a wasted trip of several hundred kilometres. Residents from towns such as Tom Price have at times faced round trips approaching 700 kilometres to reach an alternative sitting, underscoring the value of confirming your court date and venue in advance.

How to Check the South Hedland Court List

The daily court list tells you the courtroom, the presiding magistrate or judge, the listing time, and the order of matters. Reading it correctly means you arrive at the right courtroom and are not caught out by an early listing. To make the most of the published list, work through the following checklist.

• Confirm the date and jurisdiction: check whether your matter is listed under the Magistrates Court, a District Court circuit, or the Children's Court, as these may sit on different days.
• Note the courtroom number: the courthouse hosts multiple jurisdictions, so the room can change depending on the type of matter.
• Arrive early: lists are often called from the top, and the court advises being prepared for waiting times.
• Check for adjournments: circuit and regional listings are more prone to date changes, so verify close to your hearing.
• Bring identification and documents: any paperwork, prior orders or evidence relevant to your matter should be ready.

If you are unsure which venue applies to your circumstances, the broader WA court lists directory sets out how the Magistrates Court, District Court and specialist tribunals are structured across the state, including the metropolitan and regional registries that feed into the Pilbara circuit.

Attending Court at South Hedland: What to Expect

Courtroom etiquette is consistent across Western Australian courts. You should stand when the magistrate or judge enters and exits the courtroom, remain quiet while matters are being heard, and switch off mobile phones. Food and drinks are not permitted inside courtrooms. If you do not know where to go, registry and security staff can direct you to the correct courtroom.

The courthouse provides accessibility support, including wheelchair access, and visitors who require assistance are encouraged to contact the registry before their hearing date so arrangements can be made. Support persons are permitted to accompany you. If English is not your first language, interpreters can be arranged, but this must be organised ahead of your court date rather than on the day. Street parking is available near the courthouse, and the venue is reachable by car and local transport.

Legal Help and Duty Lawyers in the Pilbara

Legal Aid Western Australia operates a Pilbara Regional Office that provides duty lawyers for Magistrates Court and Children's Court circuits across the region. Duty lawyers offer free, on-the-day assistance to eligible people who do not have their own legal representation, typically for criminal matters and, where relevant, protection and care matters. Availability is scheduled around circuit sitting days, so it is worth confirming duty lawyer availability for your specific listing date. For anyone facing a criminal or traffic charge, obtaining early advice, even a short conversation before your first appearance, can materially affect how your matter proceeds.

Because the Pilbara circuit is interconnected, matters and practitioners frequently move between neighbouring registries. If your matter touches the Kimberley or northern coastal communities, the Broome Magistrates Court and the nearby Karratha Magistrates Court operate as sister registries under the same state-wide framework, and their published lists follow the same conventions used at South Hedland.

South Hedland in Context: The Pilbara Justice Region

South Hedland was established in the 1970s following the Commonwealth's 1960 decision to lift the embargo on iron ore exports, which triggered rapid mining expansion across the Pilbara and the creation of several new towns. Today it functions as the central business district of the Town of Port Hedland and a hub for one of the world's busiest bulk export ports. That economic profile, dominated by resources, transient workforces and fly-in fly-out arrangements, shapes the court's caseload, with traffic offences, alcohol-related matters, workplace-adjacent disputes and family violence applications featuring prominently.

The Magistrates Court also conducts circuit sittings at dozens of remote Pilbara and Kimberley locations, including Newman, Tom Price, Marble Bar, Nullagine and Aboriginal communities such as Jigalong, with South Hedland acting as the anchor registry that supports these smaller venues. This hub-and-spoke arrangement is central to how justice is delivered across vast, sparsely populated country, and it explains why the South Hedland list can vary significantly from one sitting week to the next.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the South Hedland Courthouse located?

The courthouse is located at Hawke Place, South Hedland WA 6722, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, within the Town of Port Hedland local government area. Street parking is available nearby and the venue is accessible by car and local transport.

What is the phone number for the South Hedland court registry?

The registry can be contacted on (08) 9172 9300, with a facsimile line on (08) 9172 9330. Contact the registry in advance if you need an interpreter, accessibility assistance, or confirmation of your listing.

What types of cases does the South Hedland court hear?

The court hears summary criminal offences, traffic matters, bail applications, civil disputes up to $75,000, and restraining order applications through the Magistrates Court. More serious indictable matters are heard during District Court circuit sittings, and youth matters are dealt with in the Children's Court jurisdiction.

Can I appeal a decision made at South Hedland?

Yes. Decisions of the Magistrates Court can generally be appealed to the District Court of Western Australia, and District Court decisions may be appealed to the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Because appeal rights and time limits are strict, seeking legal advice promptly is important.

Do I need a lawyer to attend the South Hedland court?

You are not required to have a lawyer, and many people appear self-represented. However, Legal Aid WA provides duty lawyers on circuit days for eligible criminal and protection matters, and early legal advice is strongly recommended, particularly for criminal or traffic charges where the outcome can affect your licence, record or liberty.

How do I confirm my court date before travelling?

Check the published daily court list for South Hedland and confirm the date, jurisdiction and courtroom before making a long journey. Given the significant distances involved in the Pilbara, verifying your listing close to the hearing date helps you avoid a wasted trip if a matter has been adjourned. You can also review related Western Australian listings, such as the Newman Magistrates Court, whose matters are sometimes transferred to South Hedland.