Burnie is the largest city on Tasmania's north-west coast and the commercial heart of the region, sitting on Emu Bay around 50 kilometres west of Devonport and roughly 150 kilometres from Launceston along the Bass Highway. It's a working port city — the Port of Burnie is Tasmania's largest general cargo port and the closest to mainland Melbourne — with an economy built on heavy industry, forestry, woodchip exports, mining freight from the west coast, and the rich dairy and vegetable farms that stretch along the coast through Ulverstone, Penguin and out to Smithton and Stanley. It serves a wide catchment that takes in Wynyard, Somerset, Yolla and the smaller rural communities of Circular Head. The legal matters that come up here reflect that mix: drink driving and traffic charges on the Bass Highway, criminal matters heard in the local Magistrates Court, workplace and industrial issues, and the family law and divorce questions that affect families everywhere.
Criminal Law in Burnie
Most criminal charges in Burnie start in the Burnie Magistrates Court on Alexander Street. The Magistrates Court deals with summary offences and the early stages of more serious matters — bail, pleas and committals. In Tasmania there is no intermediate District or County court, so the most serious indictable charges are committed straight up to the Supreme Court of Tasmania, which sits in Burnie on circuit as well as in Hobart and Launceston.
Criminal offences in Tasmania are governed largely by the Criminal Code Act 1924, along with other statutes covering drugs, driving and public order. Summary matters are usually finalised in the Magistrates Court, while indictable offences such as serious assaults, sexual offences and major drug or dishonesty charges are dealt with on indictment in the Supreme Court.
Whatever the charge, you have the right to silence — you do not have to answer police questions beyond confirming your identity. What you say in the first hours can shape the whole case, so the most important early step is to speak to a lawyer before you give any account. A lawyer can advise you on bail, on whether to enter a plea, and on how to protect your position from the very start.
Speak to a lawyer about a criminal law matter →
Family Law in Burnie
Family law in Burnie is handled under federal law by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, which has a registry in Burnie and also serves the region from Hobart and Launceston. It deals with parenting arrangements, property settlement and the care of children after separation, applying the same national rules wherever you live in Australia.
Before filing most parenting applications, separating parents are generally required to attempt family dispute resolution and obtain a section 60I certificate — a mediation step designed to help people reach agreement without going to court. In every parenting decision, the court's paramount consideration is the best interests of the child, looking at safety, the child's relationship with each parent and the practical realities of their care.
It's important to know that a family violence order is a separate matter dealt with under Tasmanian state law through the Magistrates Court and police, not the federal family courts. If safety is a concern, that protection can run alongside any parenting or property case. A lawyer can help you understand which process applies to your situation and what to do first.
Speak to a lawyer about a family law matter →
Divorce in Burnie
Divorce is dealt with under federal law — the Family Law Act 1975 — and is the same process for everyone in Burnie as it is anywhere else in Australia. To apply, you need to have been separated for at least 12 months, and divorce itself is simply the legal ending of the marriage; it is separate from sorting out property or arrangements for children.
You do not have to attend a courthouse to start a divorce. Applications are filed online through the Commonwealth Courts Portal, and you'll generally need a copy of your marriage certificate. If you were married overseas or the certificate isn't in English, a translation may be required.
Where there are children under 18, the court needs to be satisfied that proper arrangements have been made for their care before the divorce is granted. A lawyer can prepare and lodge the application for you, deal with service on your former spouse, and make sure the supporting documents are in order so the process runs smoothly.
Speak to a lawyer about a divorce matter →
Drink Driving in Burnie
Drink and drug driving offences in Tasmania are dealt with under the Road Safety (Alcohol and Drugs) Act 1970, together with the Traffic Act 1925. Charges from Burnie and the surrounding north-west are heard in the Burnie Magistrates Court. The penalties scale with the seriousness of the offence — generally, the higher the reading, the heavier the penalty — and repeat offences and high-range readings are treated far more seriously.
A drink driving conviction in Tasmania carries an automatic licence disqualification, and for many people the loss of a licence is the biggest practical consequence, especially in a regional area like the north-west coast where driving is essential for work and family. There may also be fines and, for serious or repeat offending, the possibility of imprisonment.
Tasmania does not have a "work licence" or restricted-licence scheme that lets you keep driving for employment during a disqualification, so the options are limited and it's important to get advice early. A lawyer can explain the likely range of outcomes, look at whether the police evidence and procedure were correct, and put your circumstances to the court in the best possible light.
Speak to a lawyer about a drink driving matter →
Traffic Law in Burnie
Traffic matters in Tasmania run under the Traffic Act 1925 and the road rules, and they cover everything from speeding and demerit-point losses through to serious charges like driving while disqualified, dangerous driving and negligent driving causing harm. Less serious matters are often dealt with by fine and demerit points, while the more serious driving charges are heard in the Burnie Magistrates Court — and the most serious can be committed to the Supreme Court of Tasmania.
If you accumulate too many demerit points, your licence can be suspended, though there may be the option of electing a good-behaviour period instead of a suspension in some circumstances. Disqualified driving and dangerous driving are treated as criminal matters and can carry licence loss and, in serious cases, imprisonment.
Because a traffic conviction can affect your licence, your insurance and your record, it's worth getting advice before you simply pay a fine or plead guilty. A lawyer can tell you whether it's worth challenging the charge, whether there's a defence available, and how to minimise the impact on your ability to keep driving.
Speak to a lawyer about a traffic law matter →
Burnie Courts
Where your matter is heard depends on the offence and its seriousness. The courts that serve Burnie are:
Burnie Magistrates Court (Magistrates Court of Tasmania)
38 Alexander Street, Burnie TAS 7320. This is the main local court for the north-west coast, handling summary criminal matters, bail, traffic and drink driving charges, the early stages of serious matters, and family violence order applications under Tasmanian law.
Supreme Court of Tasmania (Burnie circuit)
Tasmania has no intermediate District or County court, so serious indictable matters committed from the Burnie Magistrates Court are dealt with in the Supreme Court, which sits in Burnie on circuit as well as in Hobart and Launceston.
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Burnie registry)
Handles divorce, parenting and property matters for Burnie and the surrounding region under federal family law, with a registry in Burnie and support from the Hobart and Launceston registries.
What to Do Right Now
1
If police want to question you, give only your name and address — you have the right to silence in Tasmania. Politely tell them you want to speak to a lawyer first.
2
Write everything down while it's fresh: what happened, dates and times, names of any witnesses, and anything police said or did.
3
Check your paperwork for your first court date at the Burnie Magistrates Court on Alexander Street. Missing a court date can lead to a warrant or losing your licence by default.
4
Call Legal Hotline now — free, any time. Tell us what's happened and we'll connect you with a lawyer for your Burnie matter, usually within the hour.
Burnie Legal Questions
Which court will my Burnie matter be heard in?
Most matters — criminal, traffic and drink driving — start in the Burnie Magistrates Court at 38 Alexander Street. Tasmania has no District or County court, so serious indictable charges go up to the Supreme Court of Tasmania, which also sits in Burnie on circuit. Divorce and family law are handled by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
Can I get a lawyer the same day in Burnie?
Yes. Call the free hotline and we can have a lawyer working on your matter — anywhere in Australia, including in Burnie's courts — usually within the hour.
I've been charged with drink driving in Burnie — will I lose my licence?
In most cases, yes — a drink driving conviction in Tasmania carries an automatic licence disqualification, and the penalty generally gets heavier with a higher reading or repeat offending. Tasmania does not have a work or restricted licence scheme, so the options are limited. A lawyer can explain the likely outcome and check whether the police evidence and procedure were correct.
Do I have to go to a courthouse to start a divorce?
No. Divorce is filed online through the Commonwealth Courts Portal once you've been separated for at least 12 months. In Tasmania, divorce and family law are dealt with by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. A lawyer can prepare and lodge it for you.
Is calling Legal Hotline really free?
Yes. The information line is free and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call any time to understand where you stand — no cost, no obligation.