How will it work?
From July 2025, regional bail courts will operate under the following structure:
- Six virtual courtrooms, with plans to expand to a seventh in the future.
- Hub-based system organised into regional hubs.
- Only matters following the initial police bail refusal will be heard. Other bail variations, detention applications or subsequent release applications will presently be heard in the physical court the matter is currently listed.
- Defendants will appear from designated police stations via Audio Visual Link.
- Defendants will be dealt with in the order the practitioners are ready to proceed.
Court locations for each hub
These are the hub locations that will operate from July 2025. They are subject to change without notice. We expect all NSW courts to be rolled into the scheme for all fresh bail matters by early 2026.
| Courtroom 1 | Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers Ballina, Byron Bay, Casino, Coffs Harbour, Forster, Grafton, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Maclean, Macksville, Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah, Port Macquarie, Taree, Tweed Heads, Wauchope. |
|---|---|
| Courtroom 2 | Newcastle and Greater Hunter Belmont, Broadmeadow, Cessnock, Dungog, Gloucester, Kurri Kurri, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Raymond Terrace, Scone, Singleton, Toronto. |
| Courtroom 3 | Southern Highlands and South Coast Albion Park, Batemans Bay, Bega, Cooma, Eden, Goulburn, Kiama, Milton, Moruya, Moss Vale, Narooma, Nowra, Picton, Port Kembla, Queanbeyan, Tumbarumba, Wollongong, Yass. |
| Courtroom 4 | Western NSW Bathurst, Blayney, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Cobar, Condobolin, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Cowra, Dubbo, Forbes, Gilgandra, Katoomba, Lightning Ridge, Lithgow, Mudgee, Narromine, Nyngan, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Rylstone, Walgett, Warren, Wellington, Wentworth, Wilcannia. |
| Courtroom 5 | Riverina and New England Albury, Armidale, Boggabilla, Cootamundra, Corowa, Deniliquin, Finley, Glen Innes, Griffith, Gundagai, Gunnedah, Hay, Hillston, Holbrook, Inverell, Junee, Lake Cargelligo, Leeton, Moama, Moree, Mungindi, Narrabri, Narrandera, Quirindi, Tamworth, Temora, Tenterfield, Tumut, Walcha, Wagga Wagga, Wee Waa, West Wyalong, Young. |
| Courtroom 6 | Central Coast and Inner Metro Gosford, Newtown, Waverley, Wyong. |
How will the courts be covered?
- Each office will roster their allocated shifts with a mix of inhouse and private practitioners from the new Virtual Bail scheme.
- Solicitors will service their whole hub, which may be a bigger region than they previously serviced.
- Solicitors who undertake work on these days will be remunerated for the whole day and cannot undertake work in any physical court on the same day.
- Solicitors are responsible for ensuring paperwork is sent to the relevant office for processing after the court matters are completed.
- Solicitors will appear remotely, and can appear from any location that has appropriate internet connection and AVL conferencing facilities.