High Court of Australia

Building access arrangements for Practitioners
The High Court building in Canberra is open to the public from 9:45am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday.

In addition to normal opening hours, practitioners are permitted to enter the building Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) between 8:00am – 9:45am, and 4:30pm – 6:00pm. No entry to the building is permitted after 6:00pm.

Prior to arriving at the High Court of Australia, all practitioners must have notified the Canberra Registry in writing, the full names of all individuals who will require access to the practitioners’ area on Level 6.

From December 2019 public access to the building will be through the entrance located on Level 2 on the southern (National Portrait Gallery) side of the building.

Entry during public open hours
During public open hours practitioners are encouraged to enter the building using the public entrance on Level 2.  Practitioners may use the ‘Staff Only’ entrance on the ground floor (eastern side) of the building if using the public entrance is impractical. In these circumstances, the process for after-hours entry as detailed below should be followed.

Entry after hours
To enter the building before 9:45am or after 4:30pm practitioners should attend the ‘Staff Only’ doors located on the Ground Level (eastern side) of the building in Parkes Place and use the intercom to identify themselves to the guard. Once the identity of the practitioner has been established, the guard will open the staff doors to allow the practitioner into the building. 

Practitioners are to submit to screening at the screening point near the entry doors under the direction of a guard. Please note that large suitcases are not permitted in the building. Baggage which meets the ‘carry-on’ baggage standards for aircraft will be accepted but must be screened and opened upon request. Practitioners should make arrangements to leave larger bags and suitcases elsewhere prior to arriving at the building. A limited number of document trolleys are available on request, but should be returned to the screening point as soon as is practicable.

Level 6 lift passes and room keys
Practitioners arriving during public open hours should collect lift passes and room keys from the Registry on Level 3.  Practitioners arriving outside those hours should collect the passes and keys from the security centre on the Ground Level.  All passes and keys are to be signed for using the form supplied by the Registry. Under no circumstances are passes or keys to be passed or transferred to other people.

Exiting the Building
During public open hours practitioners are to exit the building through the public exit located on Level 2 near the entrance screening point.

To exit the building before 9.45am or after 4.30pm, practitioners are to exit the building via the ‘Staff Only’ doors located on the Ground Floor by pressing the button marked ‘PRESS TO RELEASE DOOR’, located above the lectern to the right of the internal doors. At this point both doors can be opened normally. 

Although practitioners are not permitted to enter the building after 6:00pm, any practitioners in the practitioners’ area on Level 6 may remain in the building until 9:00pm when they must leave.