Supreme Court Gardens

{{Short description|Park in Perth, Western Australia}}

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{{Duplicated citations |date=March 2025}}

{{Use Australian English|date=July 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}

{{Infobox park

| name = Supreme Court Gardens

| photo = Entrance to Supreme Court Gardens in Perth.jpg

| photo_width =

| photo_caption =

| photo_alt =

| map =

| coords = {{coord|31.9585|S|115.8599|E|region:AU-WA|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| type = Urban park

| location = Perth, Western Australia

| area =

| elevation =

| created = 1845

| designer =

| etymology = Named after Supreme Court of Western Australia

| operator = City of Perth

| status = Open

| embedded =

{{Infobox designation list

| embed = yes

| designation1 = State Register of Heritage Places

| designation1_offname = Supreme Court Buildings and Gardens, Old Court House, Stirling Gardens

| designation1_type = State Registered Place

| designation1_criteria =

| designation1_date = 14 February 2003

| delisted1_date =

| designation1_partof =

| designation1_number = {{SRHP|1947}}

}}

}}

Supreme Court Gardens is a park in the central business district of Perth, Western Australia, bounded by Riverside Drive, Barrack Street, Governors Avenue, and the buildings of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.

In the late 1880s Perth Water extended further north than its current boundary, and the river covered part of the area now occupied by the Supreme Court Gardens. What land there was south of the original court house and the Supreme Court building of the time was occupied by the police stables and Waterside Police Station.{{Citation | author1=Seddon, George | author2=Ravine, David, 1955- | title=A city and its setting : images of Perth, Western Australia | publication-date=1986 | publisher=Fremantle Arts Centre Press | isbn=0-949206-08-3 | at=[https://archive.org/details/cityitssetting00sedd/page/ Fig 11:16 and accompanying text, page 213] | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/cityitssetting00sedd/page/ }}Old police stables and Waterside Police Station, now Supreme Court Gardens, Perth [picture] Battye Library 4776B Vol. 103 See also BA1522/15,39,68 [http://henrietta.slwa.wa.gov.au/record=b1988607~S2#.U7gYJ6j9DIo] The police buildings were demolished in 1902 when a new Supreme Court building was constructed, and part of the river was reclaimed.{{Citation | author1=Seddon, George | author2=Ravine, David, 1955- | title=A city and its setting : images of Perth, Western Australia | publication-date=1986 | publisher=Fremantle Arts Centre Press | isbn=0-949206-08-3 | at=[https://archive.org/details/cityitssetting00sedd/page/ Text accompanying Fig 7:20, page 130] | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/cityitssetting00sedd/page/ }}

The gardens have had extensive trees, shrubbery and fencing, various small structures at different stages in the grounds in the past.{{Citation | author1=Gore, Stuart, 1905-1984 | author2=HRRC | title=Perth, looking north up Barrack Street, Supreme Court Gardens in foreground [picture] | publication-date=1934 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8931627 | accessdate=6 July 2014 }}

The gardens have at times been very poorly lit, and had many darkened areas due to the vegetation - this culminated in concerns in 1985 over safety due to inadequate lighting.The West Australian, 14 Feb. 1985, p.1,2; 15 Feb. 1985, p.2, 10; 9 Jan. 1985, p.3; 4 Sept. 1985, p.37. By the 2000s large amounts of low shrubs and fences had been removed and better lighting introduced.

For many years The West Australian newspaper had an annual art show in the grounds.{{Citation | title=The West Australian outdoor art show, Supreme Court Gardens, Perth | publication-date=1975 | publisher=Printed by General Printing, [1975] | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/16486062 | accessdate=6 July 2014 }}

The orchestral shell{{efn |Also known as the Jubilee Orchestral Shell and the Music Shell.}} was constructed and opened in the grounds on 22 January 1956, and was burnt down in the 1990s.{{cite Q |Q133458669 |last=Gregory |first=Jenny |author-link=Jenny Gregory |url-access=registration |isbn=978-0-9594632-6-2 |pages=67–68 }}

The gardens have had a significant number of events and concerts,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41446350 |title=SUPREME COURT GARDENS FETE. |newspaper=The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) |location=Perth, WA |date=5 November 1937 |accessdate=6 July 2014 |page=6 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}{{Citation | title=Civic commemoration concert celebrating the 100th anniversary of the gazettal of the ordination and constitution by Royal letters patent of the town of Perth as a City by A.B.C. W.A. Symphony Orchestra ... in Supreme Court Gardens ... 4 November 1956 : programme | publication-date=1956 | publisher=Sands & McDougall print | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/159328249 | accessdate=6 July 2014 }}{{Citation | title=Yaakiny Kooranginy: a concert, Supreme Court Gardens, Perth, WA, 21 March 1993 [Event description] | publication-date=1993 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/180973540 | accessdate=6 July 2014 }} many associated with the Perth International Arts Festival.{{Citation | title=La Fura dels Baus, Supreme Court Gardens, Perth, WA, 5 February 2010 [Event description] | publication-date=2010 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/180939628 | accessdate=6 July 2014 }}{{Citation | title=Perth International Arts Festival: West Australian Opera Company - Viva Verdi!, Supreme Court Gardens, Perth, WA, 3 February 2001 [Event description] | publication-date=2001 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/180964472 | accessdate=6 July 2014 }}{{clear}}