Subiaco Post Office & Telephone Exchange

Statement of Significance

The place has historic significance representing a stage in the continuing development of communications in the area.

Physical Description

Comprises two commercial buildings. Front building has tiled hip roof with protruding four sided vent. Vent has low pitched tiled roof with spire type finial. Double hung windows to sides of the building. Quoined brickwork to corners of building behind a rendered arched addition to the front of the building. Double storey facebrick rear building. Low pitched gable roof with large air-conditioning vent. High level windows under eaves and to gable end. Quoining to sides of building.

History

The first post office opened in 1897 on the west side of Rokeby Road, and closed in 1927, when its space was taken over by the first library. The current post office site was chosen in 1925. The facade was remodelled in c1973 to match the adjacent new Crossways shopping centre.
Subiaco began to develop as a residential and commercial area in the 1890s, with the first buildings being established along the railway line. In 1895 Rokeby Road was not yet gazetted and Hay Street was called Broome Road. By the turn of the century most of the main roads in central Subiaco were built, including Rokeby, Heytsebury, Hamersley, Bagot, Townshend, Park and Nicholson Roads. Many businesses had been established in Broome Road. Broome Road was named after Governor Broome, and was renamed Hay Street after Vice-Secretary of Colonies, 1829.
There were many land releases in the late 1890s and early 1900s as Subiaco become a popular place to settle, and businesses were attracted to the opportunity of opening in a new but stable suburb. The Rokeby Road and Hay Street commercial area was firmly established by 1915.
Over the years the nature of businesses have changed. Originally there were estate agents, dressmakers, tailors, confectioners, drapers, grocers, restaurateurs and bakers; in fact most shopping could be done without leaving the suburb.
(Sources: Wise's Post Office Directory 1893-1915; Real Estate Maps, Battye Library Collection; Spillman, Ken, Identity Prized: A History of Subiaco, City of Subiaco, UWA Press, 1985, pp. 92-110; Chate, A. H., History of Subiaco, c1952.)

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.