Heritage protection for Claremont Educational Centre

30/11/00
One of Perth's most diverse educational centres - the Claremont Primary School Precinct - is to get heritage protection.
Heritage Minister Graham Kierath today announced that the collection of buildings that made up the precinct was placed on the interim list of the State Register of Heritage Places.
Mr Kierath said the buildings on Bay View Terrace had provided a range of primary, secondary and tertiary education services in the Claremont area for more than 100 years.
"The site is a local landmark but has also played an important role in the development of the community," Mr Kierath said.
"It is a site of genuine heritage value and I am pleased that it is given the protection that it deserves."
Mr Kierath said along with a range of free-standing classrooms and ancillary buildings on the site, the heritage listing covered two main structures - the Claremont Primary School and the former Claremont School of Art.
Built in 1893, the Claremont Primary School opened with a single classroom with 40 students but by 1931 had grown to 600 students as the Claremont Central School. It reverted to the Claremont Primary School in 1958 with the opening of the Hollywood Senior High School.

The Claremont Primary School's many changes were:

• 1903-1904 Claremont Primary School
• 1904-1909 Claremont Senior School
• 1909-1937 Claremont Central School
• 1937-1946 Claremont Demonstration School
• 1946-1958 Claremont High School
• 1958 Claremont Primary School

The School of Art, which closed in 1998, also had a number of functions. These were:

• 1903-1958 Claremont Infants School
• 1958-1964 Hollywood Senior High School
• 1964-1981 Claremont Technical College
• 1981-1998 Claremont School of Art

Mr Kierath said the precinct also had also enjoyed close links to the nearby Claremont Teachers College that had opened in 1902.
"It is rare for such a wide range of primary, secondary, tertiary, specialist art education and teacher training to have been carried out on the one site," Mr Kierath said.
In announcing the interim heritage listing for the Claremont Primary School precinct, Mr Kierath confirmed the former Cottesloe Police Station had been entered on the permanent Register of Heritage Places.
In September, Mr Kierath announced the former Cottesloe Police Station had been entered on the interim heritage list.

Media contact: Zac Donovan (08) 9213 6400