The History Of The Perth Town Hall In 1 Minute

Described to hold a combination of ‘Victorian Free Gothic Style, with strong medieval overtones’, the architecture of the Perth Town Hall has been compared to many village public buildings across Europe from the 14th–16th centuries.

In 1890 the City Council discussed building a larger hall; however, after a ‘cash and land swap arrangement’ was agreed between the Council and the State Government, the community responded negatively. Due to the large response, the Council found a new use for the hall: housing a fire brigade, the tram office, insurance brokers, and offices for several Council Officers and many more tenants.

With the preparation to move the Council in 1924, extensive alterations – including incorporating shops on the lower level – were made to the hall, which The West Australian newspaper once described as ‘municipal vandalism’. In 1955 more shops were added, and following this, the R&I Tower stage one commenced in 1959, building a tower 13 storeys high.

The National Trust classified the Town Hall in 1973, and by 1978 it was placed on the Register of the National Estate with the agreement to restore the hall, including the removal of the R&I Building in 1994/1995. As a result a major restoration and refurbishment program commenced and was completed in 2005.

Today the hall is a popular venue for functions, banquets, public forums and weddings.
📅 Monday to Saturday 10AM – 4PM