Heritage Perth

Archive for May, 2009

Ian Evans, well-known for his many books on the conservation of old houses, is currently researching deliberately concealed objects in old buildings. This recently-discovered folk magic ritual originated in Britain and came to the Australian colonies with convicts and settlers.

Concealed objects commonly include old shoes, childrens’ toys and trinkets, garments and even dead cats. Objects are secreted in sealed voids and are usually found in or near chimneys, under the floor or in the roof cavity. They are often found during building renovations or inspections by pest controllers.Anyone who knows of such finds in Western Australia is asked to contact Ian Evans via email at ianevans@oldhouses.com.au or by phone at 02 6684 7677.

Heritage Perth is proud to be supporting Museum and Gallery Week 2009 by taking part in the Museums Australia (WA) ‘Great Cultural Debate’: ‘Museums and Tourism: a marriage made in heaven?’The debate takes place in State Library Theatre, 25, James Street, Northbridge, on Thursday 21st May 2009, 5.30pm for a 6pm start

The Chairman for this debate will be our Heritage Perth Executive Director, Richard Offen, and the panellists are: Kate Lamont, Tourism WA & Committee for Perth Board Member, Veronica Jeffery, Director Portfolio, East Perth redevelopment Authority, Dr Diana Jones, A/CEO Western Australian Museum and Dr Stefano Carboni, Director, Art Gallery of Western Australia.

Following the panel presentations the forum will open to questions from the floor.

For further details, click here.

World Heritage Day in Perth marked the beginning of a new era in the way people can access information about the many historic buildings in the city centre.

With the launch of the Heritage Perth Hi-Tech Heritage Trail on Saturday, 18 April, 2009 by State Heritage Minister, John Castrilli MLA and the Lord Mayor of Perth, Lisa Scaffidi, people can use twenty-first century technology to take themselves on a tour of some of the most significant heritage buildings in Perth.

This Australia-first initiative utilises modern wireless Internet technology to create a ‘state of the art’ heritage trail around the centre of Perth. Residents and tourists alike are now able to download, free-of-charge, the colourful stories of significant places directly to their Wi-Fi enabled mobile devices in the form of text, audio and still images.

The trail had been developed by Heritage Perth in conjunction with the City of Perth, Lotterywest, Heritage Council of WA and Perth-based communications company, iiNet. There are currently 10 heritage places that can be downloaded from the Heritage Perth website including Perth Town Hall, Perth Mint, McNess Royal Arcade, Gledden Building, Wesley Church, A.W. Dobbie Building, His Majesty’s Theatre, Barracks Arch, The Cloisters and Old Perth Boys School.

To find out more, click here to visit the Heritage Perth Hi-Tech Heritage Trail web site.

Launch day photographs:

Discovering the wonders of Perth

State Heirtage Minister, John Castrilli MLA, looking up the history of Perth Town Hall

Heritage Perth Chairman, Dario Amara, and Executive Director, Richard Offen, accessing the trail

The Lord Mayor and Heritage Minister listen to a Town Hall tale

A new report, commissioned by the Heritage Council of Western Australia, Heritage Perth and the City of Perth, with support from the Tourism Western Australian, and undertaken by Curtin University’s Sustainable Tourism Centre, shows just how much the tourism economy benefits from the heritage sites of Perth.

Economic Value of Heritage Tourism in the City of Perth, WA, 2008 builds on previous studies by assessing the benefits of heritage tourism within the City of Perth. The report concludes that approximately 37% of total visitor spend in Perth is attributable to heritage tourism. Put in financial terms, this equates to a staggering $350 million spent annually. These statistics add further to the growing weight of evidence that shows heritage sites are an asset to the community rather than the burden they are often made out to be.

Click here to download a copy of the report (pdf)

After four years distinguished service, work commitments have caused architect Steve Woodland to step down from the Board of Heritage Perth.

A founder member of the Board, formed from voluntary members representing a range of organisations and groups in Perth, Steve has brought a wealth of experience to helping establish Heritage Perth (originally known as the City of Perth Heritage Appeal) as major ground-breaking heritage agency.

“We are immensely grateful to Steve for his great contribution to the work of Heritage Perth over the past four years.” Said Heritage Perth’s Chairman, Dario Amara. “Steve’s experience as an internationally acclaimed architect has been invaluable in the development of Heritage Perth. His departure means that Board meetings will never quite be the same again; for not only will we miss Steve’s wise counsel, but also his wicked sense of humour!” Dario remarked.

Thank you Steve for the significant contribution you have made to the development of Heritage Perth.