Glen Forrest Hall awarded heritage listing: Minister

25/7/01
Glen Forrest Hall, in the hills east of Perth, has been listed on the State Register of Heritage Places, Environment and Heritage Minister Dr Judy Edwards announced today.
Built in 1897, the Glen Forrest Hall has been threatened with demolition twice, but each time the local community has rallied to secure its preservation.
"The hall continues to play an important part in the life of the Glen Forrest community as a meeting place, and its inclusion on the register reflects the strength of community feeling towards this building," Dr Edwards said.
"Part of the building's historical appeal lies in its unusual design - with the hall's octagon shape considered quite innovative at the time."
Dr Edwards said local resident and civil engineer, Henry Eltze-Victor, drew on his experience living in India, to create the hall's striking facade.
"While building a section of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway, Mr Victor also built a house for his family that resembled a large cage - an octagonal design with barred windows, providing protection as well as uninterrupted 360-degree views," she said.
"It was this design that he used as the inspiration for the Glen Forrest Hall."
The single-storey brick building was constructed using locally-fired bricks, and was at the time, the only venue in Glen Forrest that could be used for dances and other community meetings.
The hall was officially opened on March 16, 1897 - and christened Forrest Hall in honour of Sir John Forrest.
Local legend has it that the hall was originally built with a central post to support the roof. This post often got in the way of dances and one night a bet was taken up to see whether the roof would fall down if the post were removed. A local sawyer cut partially through the post at the top and bottom, attached a rope to the saddle of his horse and pulled. The post came away and the roof remained.
The building, located in a residential area on the western side of McGlew Road, was closed in 1959 and a new hall opened in 1960. However, due to public support for its retention, the Shire of Mundaring repaired the building and leased it to the Glen Forrest and Mahogany Creek branch of the Country Women's Association in 1967.
The branch disbanded in 1987 and the lease passed to the Western Australian Wildflower Society (Darling Range Branch), which continues to use the hall as its headquarters.
Media contact: John Carey 9220 5050