State Government heritage lists Esplanade Reserve

26/2/02
The State Government has listed Perth's Esplanade Reserve, a recreational hub of the city for more than 120 years, onto the State's Register of Heritage Places.
The listing includes the Allan Green Conservatory, the Alf Curlewis Gardens and the Florence Hummerston building, built in 1928.
Environment and Heritage Minister Dr Judy Edwards said the Esplanade Reserve had extremely high historic value for all Western Australians.
"Self-government for our State was proclaimed at the site in 1890," Dr Edwards said.
"It has been the venue of the annual Perth Anzac Day parade and service since 1916 and the nearby Sir Talbot Hobbs Memorial has been the saluting base for these services since 1940."
Dr Edwards said the 4.8ha public garden, bounded by The Esplanade, Barrack Street, Riverside Drive and William Street, also had high cultural significance as part of the major reclamation work, which began in the 1880s along the Swan River foreshore.
"Like today, there was a recognition for the important need to have public open space close to the city and the river," she said.
"Squares and parks were seen as improving the quality of city life, so foreshore reclamation was carried out to create public parklands.
"Esplanade Reserve has continued to be very popular with the public as a recreation and celebratory venue since its inception in 1880-81."
Originally known as the New Recreation Ground, then the Esplanade Recreation Reserve, it was the site of major exhibitions and sporting fixtures and carnivals.
Avenues of Moreton Bay Fig trees and Canary Island palms were planted in 1897. In 1928, the kiosk was built along with change rooms.
Sporting clubs based there were relocated to Ozone Park in the late 1960s and the reserve was later re-developed for passive recreation with gardens (named for veteran Perth City Councillor Alf Curlewis), walkways, seating and speakers' rostrum.
A major development was the Allan Green tropical garden Conservatory, built and planted in 1979 to commemorate the State's 150th anniversary of foundation.
It was named in honour of William Allan Green, building surveyor and then Town Clerk for Perth City Council for more than 20 years.
The Florence Hummerston building was originally built as a tea room but has also been used a nightclub, Salvation Army youth drop-in centre, children's day care centre and as a regular meeting venue for various service clubs in the 1950s and 1960s.
Minister's office: 9220 5050