QUEENSLAND

Winton DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Winton Magistrates Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Winton Magistrates Court sits only a handful of times a year, when the circuit magistrate travels from Longreach, and its files are handled by the Longreach registry. The remaining 2026 sittings are Wednesday 21 October and Thursday 26 November at 9am. We assist clients at Winton Magistrates Court by appearing at court mentions, guilty pleas and sentencing hearings, preparing comprehensive sentencing submissions and character reference material, advising on compulsory licence disqualification periods and mandatory alcohol interlock rules under Queensland law, and preparing section 87 restricted work licence and special hardship order applications.

  • Court: Winton Magistrates Court, 59 Vindex Street, Winton Qld 4735. Court phone (07) 4657 1536; registry at Longreach (07) 4568 9300.
  • Sittings (2026 calendar): all matters 9am – remaining Wednesday 21 October and Thursday 26 November 2026; hearings are adjourned to Longreach.
  • Licence: disqualification on every conviction; interlock from 0.10.

Queensland law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

Sandstone State Courts building entrance – general image, not Winton Magistrates Court – with the Boorman Lawyers logo and phone number 1300 941 900

General image – not this courthouse.

What's on this page

What penalty applies to a Winton drink driving charge?

The table below sets out the Queensland position for a first offence, by reading, from the night you are charged to the day you drive again. It comes from the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (TORUM). The rest of this page explains each column and how the Winton circuit court works.

Reading or charge Licence on the night (s 79B) Court disqualification (s 86) Work licence (s 87) Interlock afterwards (s 91I)
Any alcohol, zero-limit driver (learner, P, probationary, truck, bus) 24 hours 3 to 9 months Not for learner, P or probationary licences or heavy vehicle driving Only if another trigger applies
0.05 to 0.099 24 hours 2 to 9 months Possible if eligible No
0.10 to 0.149 Until court 3 to 12 months Possible if eligible, with interlock condition Yes, 12 months
0.15 or more Until court 6 months at least No Yes, 12 months
Under the influence, or failing to give a specimen Until court 6 months at least No Yes, 12 months

Read the table with three points in mind. First, the 24-hour period becomes "until court" if another drink driving charge is already pending. Second, a drink driving conviction always carries a disqualification, even when no conviction is recorded. Third, a repeat offence within five years carries much longer periods. Our drink driving penalties page has the fines and repeat periods.

When does Winton court sit?

Rarely. Winton is a circuit court. The magistrate who sits at Longreach each month comes to Winton only on certain trips, and every Winton matter is listed at 9am in a single general callover. The 2026 calendar lists five sitting days:

  • Wednesday 14 January
  • Wednesday 15 April
  • Wednesday 22 July
  • Wednesday 21 October
  • Thursday 26 November

If your matter goes to a hearing, it is adjourned to Longreach for a hearing date. The Longreach registry holds and processes all Winton files. Check your Notice to Appear for your date, and call the registry if it does not match. The calendar is on the Queensland Courts website.

With so few dates, timing matters. A charge laid in December may not reach court until the first 2027 circuit, and at 0.10 or more your licence stays suspended until then.

How does the licence suspension on the night work?

The second column of the table comes from TORUM s 79B. Police suspend your licence when they charge you. A suspension of 24 hours applies under 0.10 if no other charge is pending. Anything at 0.10 and above, a refusal, or a second pending charge keeps the suspension running until the magistrate deals with the charge. In narrow circumstances, a court can make an order under s 79E that lets some drivers keep driving until the case is decided. The suspension covers all vehicles on any road, including the Kennedy Developmental Road and the Landsborough Highway.

How long will the disqualification be?

The third column shows the range under TORUM s 86. Inside that range, the magistrate looks at:

  • the reading and where it sits in its band;
  • your traffic history;
  • how and where you were driving, and whether there was a crash or passengers;
  • your plea;
  • what the loss of your licence means for work, family and access to services, given the distances around Winton; and
  • what you have done since, such as completing a course.

Hardship does not remove the disqualification. It can affect where the period sits within the band. The disqualification starts in the courtroom, so arrange a lift home from Vindex Street.

Who can apply for a work licence?

The fourth column turns on TORUM s 87. You can only ask for a restricted licence if, when you were caught:

  • you held an open Queensland licence;
  • you blew under 0.15, and the charge was not driving under the influence or refusing a specimen;
  • you were not driving for work, and were not in a truck, bus or other specified vehicle; and
  • you had no suspension, cancellation or disqualification, and no previous drink driving conviction, in the five years before.

You then need sworn evidence that refusing the licence would cause extreme hardship by depriving you or your family of the means of earning a living, and evidence that you are fit and proper to drive. At 0.10 or above, an interlock condition applies to the restricted licence (s 87 note; s 91K). The application must be decided before the disqualification is ordered, so it has to be ready for your sitting. Given the Winton calendar, ask the Longreach registry early whether it can be heard at Winton. Our restricted work licence guide explains the affidavits.

A special hardship licence is a separate order for some other suspensions, such as demerit point suspensions. It does not apply to a drink driving disqualification ordered by a court.

When is an interlock required?

The last column comes from TORUM ss 91I and 91N. You need an interlock for 12 months when you return to driving if your reading was 0.10 or more, or you were convicted of driving under the influence, refusing a specimen or a repeat drink driving offence. After the disqualification, you apply to the Department of Transport and Main Roads for a new licence, which will be a probationary licence for at least a year. Check how far the nearest approved interlock provider is from Winton before the period ends. See our alcohol interlock page and TMR's alcohol ignition interlocks page.

How is a drug driving charge different?

A positive roadside saliva test leads to a second sample being sent to a laboratory. The Notice to Appear may follow weeks later. Driving with a relevant drug present does not depend on whether you were affected; driving under the influence of a drug is a separate and more serious charge. Both carry a compulsory disqualification. Your licence position while a drug charge is pending depends on the facts. See the drug driving offences and penalties page, and the drink driving offences guide for the alcohol charges.

What should you have ready for the Winton sitting?

Because the next sitting may be months away, being ready on the day matters more at Winton than at a court that sits weekly. Bring:

  • your Notice to Appear and the breath analysis certificate;
  • character references that mention the charge;
  • a letter about your work and how much driving it involves;
  • evidence about family, medical or other travel needs;
  • any traffic education course certificate (see the Traffic Offenders Program page); and
  • your filed work licence affidavits, if you are eligible.

You can appear yourself or have a lawyer appear for you. If you cannot attend, contact the Longreach registry well before the date. Not turning up can lead to the matter being decided without you, or a warrant. The court process guide explains the courtroom steps.

Which other courts are near Winton?

Approximate straight-line distances: Longreach about 162 km south-east (the registry and hearing court), Julia Creek about 234 km north and Barcaldine about 264 km south-east. Mount Isa is further north-west. Your notice names the court. More guides are on the QLD traffic law hub.

Winton Magistrates Court details

Court address 59 Vindex Street, Winton Qld 4735
Postal address PO Box 427, Winton Qld 4735
Court phone (07) 4657 1536
Registry (enquiries and filing) Longreach Magistrates Court, 91 Galah Street, Longreach Qld 4730 – (07) 4568 9300
Email courthouse.winton@justice.qld.gov.au (calendar); the directory lists courthouse.longreach@justice.qld.gov.au

Source: Queensland Courts Magistrates Courts directory, checked 19 October 2026, and the 2026 Winton calendar.

To talk about your Winton matter, call 1300 941 900 or make an enquiry about legal representation.

Queensland penalty changes in 2026: check your offence date (law checked 20 Oct 2026).

Offences on or after 31 August 2026: higher maximum fines apply. They are 20 penalty units ($3,454) for the general alcohol limit and no alcohol limit offences, 28 ($4,835.60) for the middle alcohol limit and 40 ($6,908) for driving under the influence of liquor or a drug. A first general alcohol limit conviction (0.05 to under 0.10) on an open licence now carries 2 to 9 months' disqualification. For offences before 31 August 2026 it was 1 to 9 months. Police can now give an eligible first low-range driver on an open Queensland licence an infringement notice of $1,295 instead of a court charge. Unless the driver elects to go to court, a 2-month disqualification follows. It counts as a conviction, and there is no work licence for that period. Drug driving (a relevant drug present) has not changed yet. The maximum is 14 penalty units ($2,417.80) or 3 months, with 1 to 9 months' disqualification on an open licence and 3 to 9 months for learner, P-plate and unlicensed drivers.

Offences on or after 1 December 2026: minimum fines start for drink and drug driving. For example, the minimum is 7.5 penalty units for low range and for drug driving. The drug driving maximum rises to 28 penalty units, and a first offence on an open licence carries 2 to 9 months' disqualification. A new offence of driving with a relevant drug present while over an alcohol limit adds 1 month to the disqualification range.

An offence committed before a change is generally dealt with under the penalties in force when it happened. Sources: TORUM ss 78E, 79, 79B, 79H–79J and 86, as amended by the Queensland Community Safety Act 2024 and the Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026. Penalty unit $172.70 from 1 July 2026.

Winton drink driving FAQs

How many times does Winton court sit in 2026?

Five, according to the calendar. The remaining dates are Wednesday 21 October and Thursday 26 November.

Who do I call about my Winton matter?

The Longreach registry on (07) 4568 9300, which holds and processes all Winton files.

If I plead not guilty, where is the hearing?

At Longreach. The calendar says Winton matters for hearing are adjourned to Longreach for a hearing date.

I blew 0.08. Can I drive until my court date?

Usually yes, once the 24-hour suspension ends, if no other drink driving charge is pending.

Does a remote location mean I avoid disqualification?

No. Section 86 requires a disqualification on every drink driving conviction. Distance and hardship can be put to the magistrate when the length is decided.

Do I have to go to court in person?

You or a lawyer must appear. If you cannot attend, contact the registry before the sitting to ask about an adjournment.

Winton Magistrates Court — court details

Winton Magistrates Court

Street
59 Vindex Street, Winton QLD 4735
Postal
PO Box 427, Winton Qld 4735
Phone
(07) 4657 1536
Email
courthouse.winton@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours
Registry: Longreach Magistrates Court, 91 Galah Street, Longreach – (07) 4568 9300
Days open
Circuit sittings at 9am (all matters, general callover): 2026 dates 14 Jan, 15 Apr, 22 Jul, 21 Oct, 26 Nov; hearings adjourned to Longreach
➜ Get directions

Queensland Courts, Magistrates Courts directory (saved 19 Oct 2026) and Winton Magistrates Court 2026 calendar (downloaded 20 Oct 2026). These are the court registry's details, not Boorman Lawyers office details. Check your court papers for your listing time and courtroom.

Enquire about legal representation

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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