Trustee Chambers
Many counsel from Brisbane have enjoyed a visit to one of the two principal chambers in Rockhampton — Trustee Chambers — but few would know of the rich history of the building stretching back to the gold rush days of the nineteenth century.
Trustee Chambers was originally built as a home for a Dr William Callaghan, one of the first GPs to practise in Rockhampton. The home was completed in 1877, 22 years after the Archer brothers settled the District and only 9 years after the establishment of the State of Queensland. The home originally had graceful sweeping lawns down to the Fitzroy river. It was designed as Dr Callaghan’s surgery and home. The exterior of the building is still largely intact, as is the servant’s quarters, kitchen and stables at the rear of the building. Dr Callaghan was famous as a horseman and racing enthusiast. He brought with him a stable full of thoroughbred horses to indulge his passion. So great was his influence that the local racecourse, Callaghan Park, was named after him.
In 1886 Fred Morgan and then William Knox Darcy acquired a mortgagee interest in the residence. After Dr Callaghan’s death in 1912 it was used the residence for the manager of the Mount Morgan Mines. William Knox Darcy, like many a commercial solicitor, early on realised that a fortune could not be made out of the law. He became one of the shareholders of the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Limited which became, in its time, the world’s largest gold mine. Knox Darcy then took his considerable fortune to England where he set up and financed oil exploration in the Persian Gulf. He very nearly lost that fortune before eventually striking oil and founding the now ubiquitous British Petroleum. The solicitors’ firm of Swanwick Murray Roche, which still practices here, and with which many of our readers would be familiar, traces its roots to Knox Darcy.
After Knox Darcy passed away in 1917 the residence was purchased by William Harris. William Harris named the building River Chambers. Harris later sold the building to the Union Trustee Company of Australia Limited. That firm is responsible for renaming the building Trustee Chambers. The building thus acquired its name well prior to any influence from barristers seeking to lull solicitors into briefing them. Harris & Co, it is worth nothing, at one time boasted the largest plate glass window display in the southern hemisphere — in East Street Rockhampton! The family crest is preserved in one of the sections of the stained glass window over the internal stairwell of the building.
Barristers have practised from the building since the 1940’s. Early barristers to establish practice from the building include Arthur Bradford, who later served as an acting justice of the Supreme Court. Notably, the Honourable Des Derrington QC- who was a Judge of the Supreme Court for 18 years from 3 December 1982 until 5 April 2000 – practised for his first 12 years at the bar in Rockhampton before moving to Brisbane. His chambers were then occupied by Bernie Treston until his translation to the rank of solicitor and a partnership in the firm at MacDonnells at Cairns. In 1969, Stan Jones – as the Hon Justice Jones AO then was – commenced his practice in the building and, later that year, was joined by Robert Hall.
In 1982 the six barristers then practising in Rockhampton purchased the building- is intending it to become the home of the Bar. In time, each was elevated to the bench. They were Stan Jones, Robert Hall and Peter White, both now retired District Court Judges, Keith Dodds, now District Court Judge at Maroochydore, Grant Britton, now Central District Court Judge and Duncan McMeekin, the current Central Judge of the Supreme Court.
Several years after their purchase, the resident barristers carried out extensive renovations to the building. The original design was substantially restored with the inclusion of the internal staircase. The stained glass window earlier referred to was designed by Stan Jones at the time of that restoration. The window reflects the history of the building — each panel contains a symbol representing one of the owners of the building.
Many counsel have since practised from the chambers — Gay Machau, Craig McConaghy, Anthony Mellick, Brian Harrison, David Murray, Ross Lo Monaco, Ann Marie McDiarmid and Waanda McCarthy and John Costello (now a Magistrate). Current members of Trustee Chambers are Gerard O’Driscoll, Graeme Crow, Tony Arnold and Cameron Press.
The history of the bar in Rockhampton would not be complete without mention of the fact that the Hon Peter Connolly, in 1949, commenced his career at the bar in Rockhampton. He joined the other barristers of the time, Arthur Bradford and Richard (Dickie) Larcombe. In the 1950s also in practice was the late Fred McGuire who maintained his chambers in Rockhampton until his appointment to the District Court in February 1975. Fred McGuire, in early 1970s, established chambers in Ruebhen House and was joined there in 1975 by the then fledgling barrister Dan Ryan. Subsequently Keith Dodds, on his conversion to the private bar, and Peter White practised from those chambers. These premises ceased to be used as chambers and have now been replaced by Jardine Chambers.
Jardine Chambers
Jardine Chambers was established in 1992 by Ross Lo Monaco, as a specialist criminal law and family law Chambers. Ross Lo Monaco has been joined by Jeffrey Clarke and Tom Polley. Federal Magistrate Anne Demack was formerly a member a Jardine Chambers prior to her appointment. Maree Willey will be joining the chambers soon to take up Anne Demack’s chambers.
Graeme Crow
