On 3 August 2012, the Supreme Court of Queensland Library opened the Sir Harry Gibbs Legal Heritage Centre.
It is the only legal heritage museum of its kind in Queensland and features a permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and legacy of Sir Harry Gibbs.
While stationed in Papua New Guinea, Gibbs developed an interest in its legal system and was awarded a Master of Laws based on his research.
In 1963, Gibbs was appointed Chair of the Supreme Court of Queensland Library Committee and held the position until 1967.
In the Curran case decided in 1974,[6] Gibbs was part of the majority ruling in favour of the legality of a tax minimisation scheme.
As a result of the proliferation of similar schemes, John Howard as Treasurer introduced retrospective legislation which was subsequently passed by the parliament.
In his dissenting judgement, Justice Gibbs held that the words of Section 61 "make it clear that the Executive cannot act in respect of a matter which falls entirely outside the legislative competence of the Commonwealth".
Gibbs was part of a 6:1 majority in the DOGS Case in 1981,[8] which found that the Commonwealth could provide financial assistance to non-Government schools.
The majority of the court found that the external affairs power enabled the Commonwealth Parliament to pass such legislation under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
The Age newspaper published transcriptions of conversations between Murphy and NSW solicitor Morgan Ryan, alleging an improper relationship between the two men in February 1984.
When the Stewart Royal Commission published a secret volume of conversations between Murphy and Ryan, Gibbs insisted on reading the Royal Commission Report and advised Lionel Bowen, the Commonwealth Attorney-General, that some justices intended making public their reluctance to sit with Murphy in 1986.
Lionel Bowen set up a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry consisting of three retired judges in 1986 to inquire into the claims.
He also had an international reputation, with Lord Denning stating "I would rank him as one of the greatest of your chief justices, rivalling even Sir Owen Dixon."
He was the Chairman of the Parliamentary Judges Commission in 1989 resulting from the removal of Justice Angelo Vasta from the Queensland Supreme Court.