Returned & Services League, 19 Spencer Street

Statement of Significance

RSL Bunbury has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:

• The place has social and historical significance for the local community as the meeting place for the returned service men and women of Bunbury from 1935 until the present.

Physical Description

RSL Bunbury is a single storey rendered masonry building with a concealed corrugated steel hip roof. The building has been significantly altered over time displaying characteristics of a number of different architectural styles.

The building has a symmetrical form with a zero building line setback. The street elevation features a simple stepped parapet with the words "Returned & Services League Bunbury" centralised. Two flag poles are at either end of the parapet. A steeply pitched boxed awning extends over the footpath with a flat sheet to the underside. A gable roof is visible to the rear.

The facade has a rendered and painted finish with a rendered string course below sill level, painted green.

Double glazed entry doors are aluminium framed and have sidelights. The windows are timber framed and double hung with security screens to the lower sashes. The front facade has two windows to the south of the entry and three to the north.

History

At the beginning of the 1890s, Bunbury had a population of only 572. By the end of that decade, the population had risen to 2,970 – reflecting the rate of increase experienced by the colony as a whole following the discovery of significant gold deposits. This was matched by improvements in infrastructure, including the opening of the Perth to Bunbury railway line in 1893 and significant development of the port. From this time on the town developed not only as an important regional centre, but also as a seaside tourist resort. Despite the adverse impact of war and depression, Bunbury continued to experience residential and business development during the Inter-War era, and the population reached around 6,000 in 1939. The ongoing development and consolidation of the town over time continues to be reflected in its local heritage places.

In 1914, the people of Bunbury responded quickly to the outbreak of war, through both volunteering for service and community support.


In mid-1917 a meeting was called with the aim of establishing a local branch of the ‘Returned Soldiers Association.’ Regular meetings were held from that time, typically at the Council Chambers or Rechabite Hall. Newspaper reports indicate that the association was seeking its own headquarters by the late 1920s, but these were not constructed until 1935:
the Returned Soldiers' League … marked the official opening of their new hall which has been erected in Spencer street at a cost of £1,000.

… The new hall is a commodious and fine structure situated next to the Salvation Army Hall in Spencer-street. It consists of a main hall, kitchen and club rooms, with a side entrance to the hall so that the club rooms can be shut off and used while the main hall is let, it being the hope of the league that the money thus raised will be a considerable help in carrying on the work of the branch. No effort has been spared to put down a dance floor which would compare with anything in the town.

From the mid 1940s there were a number of moves towards building larger premises to provide a bigger hall and improved facilities for the members. However, proposals to move to a new site did not eventuate and the existing premises were finally extended towards the street frontage in the 1960s (replacing the original gabled wing and abutting entry) and again in the 1990s.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: Medium
Date of survey: 2/01/2022

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

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.