2022 Floods: Skipton Court House Recovery

Published on Thursday 7 September 2023

“The October 2022 floods were one of the worst Victorian flood disasters on record and caused significant damage across 64 of Victoria’s 79 local government areas, affecting multiple community spaces and assets.”- Commonwealth Minister for Emergency Management Senator the Hon Murray Watt

We are grateful to the Australian and Victorian Governments for providing us with the much-needed financial aid to carry out repair works at the historic Skipton Courthouse under the Disaster Recovery Funding arrangements.

The building sits within the Stewart Park recreational area alongside the former Police Residence and Police Stables. The timber courthouse was inundated during the October 2022 floods putting the building out of use. Timely action by members of the Skipton Historical Society saw the cultural objects kept in the Courthouse moved to the safety of the police residence before the floodwaters entered the building. The flooding, however, caused damage to the Courthouse floorboards, substructure, and lower wall panelling.

The repair works commenced in August this year and will be completed over the next three months. The works entail relocating the courthouse loose and fixed furniture, and cleaning and drying out all materials before the floors and wall panels are repaired and refinished. All furniture will then be returned to the Courthouse, after which the building will resume its role as a local historical museum.