Boom Town

John Roe’s wishes for an important city at the centre of a strong progressive economy were eventually fulfilled by the late nineteenth century.

In the 1890s Perth witnessed an influx of population following the discovery of gold in the Murchison and eastern goldfields. This prosperity brought about the construction of many fine buildings reflecting the opulence of the Victorian period. No one can fail to be impressed by the graceful lines of the Central Government Office buildings or the splendour of the McNess Royal Arcade, Palace Hotel and many other buildings erected to demonstrate Perth’s status as an important gold city. As a result, Perth consolidated its supremacy as the colony’s major centre; Western Australia gained its first constitution and its first Premier, Sir John Forrest.