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Goulburn Courthouse Registrar

Goulburn
Population: 31,554
193 km from Sydney
Median house price: $465,000
Closest airport: Canberra
Multiple flights daily to and from
Sydney (55 minutes flight time)

What is important to you in your role as Registrar?

I’m passionate about communicating with government and non-government organisations to try to bring a more holistic approach to the court system, particularly in the criminal jurisdiction. We want to educate people and also set them up for success rather than failure.

What is the hardest part about working regionally?

It can be difficult to find opportunities for professional development. Because of the relationships I’ve built, I’ve been able to access training for my staff, which include courses such as accidental counselling and suicide prevention workshops.

Have there been any spooky incidents at the courthouse?

The courthouse first opened in 1887 when public hangings occurred nearby and there have been a lot of sad stories over the years. If ghosts exist, I would not be surprised if they were here. One night I heard voices in the District Court and thought there must be a sitting but when I went in there was no one there. Maybe they were hiding in the dock!

Tell us about the time a celebrity alpaca visited the courthouse?

One morning they were doing a photo shoot of Heff the celebrity alpaca across the road. Lucky for us, they decided to pop up and take a picture of him outside the courthouse. We’ve also had a cow escape and make its way to the court. We had to lock down the grounds to catch him. Animals often show up at court which is one of the many benefits of working regionally.

Where is the best place to get coffee?

This is such a controversial question but I would say Bryant’s Bakery Cafe. That’s my local. 

What does casual Friday look like in the country?

We don’t do a casual day because we’re already quite low key. We’re not wearing ripped jeans but we’re also not in suits and heels. We’re a bit more relaxed.