NEW SOUTH WALES

Eden DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Eden Local Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Eden Local Court in Imlay Street is one of a cluster of Far South Coast courts that open only on sitting days. Bega, about 44 km north, is the full-time courthouse, and Eden's mail goes through it. We assist clients at Eden Local Court by appearing at court mentions, guilty pleas and sentencing hearings, preparing comprehensive sentencing submissions and character reference material, advising on licence disqualification periods and mandatory alcohol interlock rules under New South Wales law, and preparing Section 10 non-conviction applications.

Court: Eden Local Court, Imlay Street, Eden NSW 2551. Phone (02) 6497 2800 or 1300 679 272. Registry 9.30am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 3.30pm, on court sitting days only.
Hub: Bega Local and District Court (Cnr Gipps and Carp Streets) is open Monday to Friday. Eden's postal address is c/- PO Box 31, Bega.
Law: NSW Road Transport Act 2013. A first mid range offence means a mandatory interlock order on conviction.

New South Wales law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

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What's on this page

How do the Far South Coast courts fit together?

The far south of NSW is served by a small cluster of courts rather than one large courthouse. Bega is the hub: it is open Monday to Friday and handles the mail for the smaller courts. Eden, Bombala and Narooma open only on court sitting days. Cooma, over the range on the Monaro, has its own registry on set weekdays. If you were charged around Eden, Merimbula, Pambula, Wonboyn or Towamba, your court attendance notice will name one of these courts. That court is where you appear unless the court itself makes a different order.

The cluster at a glance

Court	Address	When it opens	Phone	Approx. distance from Eden
Eden	Imlay Street	Court sitting days only; 9.30am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 3.30pm	(02) 6497 2800 or 1300 679 272	–
Bega	Cnr Gipps and Carp Streets	Monday to Friday; 9.00am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 4.00pm	(02) 6492 9300 or 1300 679 272	44 km
Bombala	High Street	Court sitting days only; 9.30am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 3.30pm	(02) 6497 2840 or 1300 679 272	61 km
Narooma	Princes Highway	Court sitting days only; 9.30am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 3.30pm	(02) 6497 2820 or 1300 679 272	97 km
Cooma	Vale Street	Wednesday to Friday (Tuesday in sitting weeks)	(02) 6453 4900 or 1300 679 272	116 km

All five apply the same law, the Road Transport Act 2013. The differences are practical: how often a court sits, when you can reach a registry, and how far you have to travel.

What does a sitting-days-only court mean for you?

Three things.

You cannot rely on walking in. Eden's registry and phone line operate only on sitting days. For anything you need outside those days, write to the postal address, c/- PO Box 31, Bega, or have your lawyer deal with it.

Delays cost more. If your matter is adjourned, the next date may be weeks away, and any immediate licence suspension keeps running until the charge is decided. Turning up without your program certificate or references can mean waiting for the next sitting, still unable to drive.

Travel is part of the plan. If you expect to be disqualified on the day, you will need someone to drive you home. If you live elsewhere, perhaps having been charged while visiting Eden, ask early about your attendance options. Do not assume you can stay away.

What should you do between the charge and the sitting day?

Read the notice and check the court. Eden, Bega, Bombala and Narooma notices look alike. The court named is the one you attend.
Check whether you were suspended on the spot. For mid range, high range, DUI and some other charges, police can suspend your licence immediately (RTA s 224). A suspension appeal must be lodged before the charge is finalised. The court can lift the suspension only where exceptional circumstances justify it (s 268). Our licence suspension appeal guide explains the process.
Decide your plea with advice. If the police facts are wrong, raise it before the sitting, not at the bar table.
Enrol in a Traffic Offenders Program early, after checking the court will accept the provider and format.
Gather references and an employer letter. In fishing, timber, tourism and trade work, explain the travel your job involves and what losing your licence would mean.
Get counselling or a GP letter if alcohol or drug use needs to be addressed.

Which penalties apply across the cluster?

The same at every court. First-offence maximums at $110 per penalty unit:

Charge	Fine	Prison	Licence on conviction
Novice, special or low range PCA	up to $2,200	–	6 months automatically, reducible to 3
Mid range PCA	up to $2,200	up to 9 months	Interlock order: 3–6 months' disqualification, then at least 12 months with an interlock
High range PCA	up to $3,300	up to 18 months	Interlock order: 6–9 months' disqualification, then at least 24 months with an interlock
DUI	up to $3,300	up to 18 months	Interlock order if alcohol was involved, as for high range
Illicit drug present	up to $2,200	–	6 months automatically, reducible to 3

The penalties climb for a second offence within 5 years, and an earlier drink or drug driving penalty notice in that period counts (RTA s 9(2A)). You will also need to pass the Driver Knowledge Test before being relicensed. Full tables are in our NSW drink driving penalties guide, and the offences are explained in our NSW drink driving offences guide. Transport for NSW's penalties page gives the official summary.

Does the interlock apply on the Far South Coast?

Yes, as it does everywhere in NSW. Mid range, high range, alcohol DUI and refusal of breath analysis are mandatory interlock offences. Exemption orders are limited to narrow grounds, and living in a regional or remote area is not one of them. If you do not enter the program after an interlock order, you face a 5-year disqualification. Because the nearest provider may be some distance away, plan fitting and servicing before sentence. Our NSW alcohol interlock guide has the detail.

Can the court deal with it without a conviction?

The court can, under section 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, dismiss the charge or impose a conditional release order without conviction. Without a conviction, the automatic disqualification and interlock rules do not apply. It is a discretion. The court considers your character, record, age, health, the seriousness of the offence and any extenuating circumstances, and it cannot make the order if you had a section 10 for a similar offence in the past 5 years (RTA s 203). Our guide to a no conviction outcome explains more.

What about drug driving charges around Eden?

The presence offences are in section 111: THC, methylamphetamine, MDMA or cocaine detected in oral fluid, blood or urine. You do not have to have been affected. Cannabis in particular can be detected after its effects have passed. Where police allege impairment, the charge may instead be DUI under section 112. See our NSW drug driving guide.

What if you were only visiting Eden when charged?

You may be passing through Eden on holiday, crewing a boat or travelling the coast road. If you hold a licence from another state, NSW law still decides the charge, and the case is heard at the NSW court on your notice. Some points to know:

An on-the-spot suspension notice stops you driving in NSW under your interstate licence straight away (RTA s 224(4)(b)).
A NSW disqualification is a NSW court order. Driving in NSW while it is in force is an offence. Your home licensing authority may also act on a NSW conviction, so ask a lawyer in that state about how it affects your home licence.
Plan your attendance. Long-distance travel to a sitting-days-only court takes planning. Raise it early instead of hoping to sort it out on the day.

Our NSW traffic law section covers the wider rules.

Why do charges arise around Eden?

The Princes Highway carries local traffic between Eden, Pambula, Merimbula and Bega, as well as holiday and interstate travellers. Situations can include:

random breath testing on the highway and town approaches;
driving home from a venue, wharf or private function with no taxi available;
an early start the morning after, with alcohol still present;
mobile drug testing during holiday periods.

What clients say

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Eden drink driving FAQs

Where is Eden Local Court and when can I contact it?

In Imlay Street, Eden. The registry and phone line ((02) 6497 2800 or 1300 679 272) operate 9.30am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 3.30pm on court sitting days only. Post goes c/- PO Box 31, Bega.

My notice says Eden, but Bega is open every weekday. Can I just go to Bega?

No. Attend the court named on your notice. If there is a reason the matter should be heard elsewhere, raise it in advance, through your lawyer or the registry, and wait for the court's decision.

What happens if I miss the Eden sitting?

The court can deal with the matter in your absence or issue a warrant, and the next sitting may be some time away. If you cannot attend, tell the registry or your lawyer before the date and give a documented reason.

Can the court shorten my disqualification?

Only within the law. For low range and drug presence offences, the court can reduce the automatic 6 months to no less than 3. For mid range and above, the court sets the disqualification within the interlock order ranges. It cannot go below the minimums unless it deals with the matter without conviction.

Is a reference from a local employer helpful?

It can be. A reference should say how the writer knows you, show they know about the charge, and describe your character and what you have done since. An employer letter explaining your duties and travel is different, and often just as important.

Sources and date checked

Sources and references for this page, checked 20 Oct 2026.

Local Court of NSW – Court locations E (Eden) — checked 19 Oct 2026
Local Court of NSW – Court locations B, C and N (Bega, Bombala, Cooma, Narooma) — checked 19 Oct 2026
Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) – current version (ss 9, 110, 111, 112, 203, 205, 209–212, 224, 268) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) – s 10 — checked 20 Oct 2026
NSW Government (Transport for NSW) – Drink and drug driving penalties — checked 20 Oct 2026

This page is general information about New South Wales law only. It is not legal advice. Every matter turns on its own facts.

Eden Local Court — court details

Eden Local Court

Street: Imlay Street, Eden NSW 2551
Postal: c/- PO Box 31, Bega NSW 2551
Phone: (02) 6497 2800 or 1300 679 272
Registry hours: Registry and telephone 9.30am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 3.30pm, court sitting days only
Days open: Court sitting days only

➜ Get directions

Local Court of NSW, Court locations – E (localcourt.nsw.gov.au), saved 19 Oct 2026. The official list gives the postal address as ‘PO Box 31 Bega NSW 2551’; the Bega and Bombala entries give PO Box 31 Bega NSW 2550. These are the court registry's details, not Boorman Lawyers office details. Check your court papers for your listing time and courtroom.

NSW Traffic Law

Choose your NSW traffic law topicNSW

Guides for New South Wales traffic law matters.

NSWDrink Driving OffencesRead guide →NSWDrink Driving PenaltiesRead guide →NSWDrink Driving DefencesRead guide →NSWDrug Driving Offences & PenaltiesRead guide →NSWHigh Range PCA Guideline JudgmentRead guide →NSWLicence Suspension AppealRead guide →NSWAlcohol Interlock LawsRead guide →NSWNo Conviction Drink DrivingRead guide →NSWTraffic Offenders ProgramRead guide →NSWDUI Court Process GuideRead guide →NSWDangerous DrivingRead guide →NSWDisqualified DrivingRead guide →

Enquire about legal representation

Call 1300 941 900 or make an enquiry about legal representation.

What to have ready

Court & next listing date: Which court is on your paperwork and when your matter is listed.
Charge or reading (if known): Tell us the charge or reading if you have it — you do not need your full police facts yet.
Work & driving needs: Let us know if you rely on your licence for work or family responsibilities.

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