Perth Central Govt Offices and Town Hall preinct given heritage register

15/1/95

Heritage Minister Richard Lewis announced today that the Perth Central Government Offices and Perth Town Hall Precinct had been placed on the Register of Heritage Places.

Mr Lewis said the interim listing by the Heritage Council of Western Australia meant the buildings were subject to the full protection of the Heritage of Western Australia Act.

"These buildings have an important place in the history of this State and are part of the Colonial Heritage Precinct identified in the Government's recently released 'Perth.  A City for People'," he said.

"The area includes the spot traditionally associated with the symbolic felling of a tree in June 1829 to mark the foundation of the Swan River colony.

"From that date onwards, the area within this precinct has been associated with the administration of Western Australia.

"The area was initially used as the barracks parade ground, before the colonial government administrative offices were built on the site."

The Perth Town Hall was built in the late 1860s.  In the late 1870s, the colonial government began construction of an office building, which over the next 25 years was expanded by successive governments to form what is now known as the Central Government Offices.

The courts in Barrack Street and the Legislative Council building in Hay Street were also built within the precinct during this period.

The courts were demolished in 1958 to make way for the R & I Bank and 10 years later, the Legislative Council building was also demolished to allow for extensions to the bank.

"The principal buildings within this precinct - the Town Hall and the Central Government Offices - are closely associated with numerous notable people and events in the history of local and State administrations," Mr Lewis said.

"They are regarded as the administrative and symbolic centre of Perth.

"The Town Hall is associated with the State's history of convict transportation and the Central Government Offices with the later period of self-government.

"Both are regarded as excellent examples of the colonial architecture of their respective periods."

Media contact:  Bronwyn Hillman 222 9595, 221 1377