St Georges Terrace Commercial Group

Child Places

• 02111 Newspaper House
• 02113 W.A. Trustee Co & Royal Insurance Co Bld

Statement of Significance

St Georges Terrace Commercial Group, comprising three interwar multi-storey commercial buildings, WA Trustee Company Building, the Royal Insurance Co Building (1924, 1928), Newspaper House (1932), and Newspaper Hall (1932), has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: the place reflects the importance of St George’s Terrace as the central business street of Perth and thus Western Australia; each element within the coherent group of commercial buildings demonstrate fine examples of inter war period architectural philosophy, illustrating the design ethos in St George’s Terrace, including fine interior features across the group; the place is significant for its substantial aesthetic contribution to the Perth streetscape, and as the only extant group of buildings along St Georges Terrace dating to the early to mid-twentieth century it demonstrates the design aspirations from late Federation period through to the Depression; the similarity of form, scale, and materials between Newspaper House, Royal Insurance Co Building and WA Trustee Building, and the elaborately decorated copper tenancy frontages of Royal Insurance Co Building, gives rise to a high degree of collective aesthetic street appeal that is greatly valued by the people of Western Australia; the activities for which the buildings were constructed encompass a range of institutions important within the commercial life of Perth, including insurance and estate management, as well as the use of Newspaper Hall as the home of the West Australian newspaper; and, the place is associated with many significant individuals, including the Western Australian businessmen and owners of the West Australian newspaper, as well as government and private architects for WA Trustee Building, Royal Insurance Co Building and Newspaper House.

History

In 1829 regulations required owners of town lots in St. George's Terrace to build houses worth 200 pounds whilst building elsewhere could be built costing 100 pounds. This helped establish St. George's Terrace as the premier address in the city. The street became the home of a number of Perth's prominent citizens and was characterised by large, often two storey homes. Whilst other areas of the city tended to redevelop during the gold rush period around the turn of the century, St George's Terrace remained substantially intact. Development that did occur included the construction of new government buildings in the area at the end of Barrack Street which was designated for this purpose from 1829. The expansion of commerce and trade in the inter-war period led to considerable redevelopment of St. George's Terrace and the construction of several new business house and commercial premises. By this period doctor's and dentist's rooms were to be found in some of the stately homes predominantly on the north western part of the Terrace.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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