Local Government
Perth
Region
Metropolitan
242 Murray St Perth
Murray St Mall Cnr Forrest Place - Also part of Forrest Place area 4280
Perth
Metropolitan
Constructed from 1920
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage Agreement | YES | 27 Jun 1997 | |
| Heritage Agreement | Variation | 21 Jun 2004 | HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument |
| Heritage Agreement | YES | 27 Jun 1997 | HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument |
| Heritage List | Adopted | 20 Dec 1985 | |
| State Register | Registered | 23 May 1995 | HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument, HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument |
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
| Type | Status | Date | Grading/Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | ||||
| Statewide Bank Survey | Completed | 01 Nov 1997 | ||
| Classified by the National Trust | Classified | 07 Aug 1978 | ||
| Perth Draft Inventory 99-01 | YES | 31 Dec 1999 | ||
| Art Deco Significant Bldg Survey | Completed | |||
| Register of the National Estate | Permanent | 26 Sep 1982 | ||
| Municipal Inventory | Adopted | 13 Mar 2001 | Category 1 | |
| Municipal Inventory | Completed\Draft | 13 Mar 2001 | ||
| Local Heritage Survey | Adopted | 28 Mar 2023 | Category 1 | |
| Local Heritage Survey | Completed\Draft | Category 1 | ||
The place defines the southern end of Forest Place and, with its strongly modelled facade and well-defined corners, gives a sculptural quality to Forrest Place and contributes a vital element to the streetscape. It is a significant example of the Inter-War Beaux-Arts style of architecture, of which there are few examples in Perth. The use of steel frame construction, allowing monumental construction characterised by large open spaces inside the building. The place is closely associated with the Commonwealth Government's programmes of employment, during the Depression of the 1930's, through public building and infrastructure programmes. The place is closely associated with the provision of Commonwealth Government and banking serves in Western Australia. The place is representative of the changes in styles of banking practice and technology in the late twentieth century.
Large formal commercial building. Granite cladding at ground floor level. Arched openings to street, classical detail to facade at upper levels, recessed windows behind circular columns. good example of Beaux Arts style.
The building provides banking chambers and associated offices for the Commonwealth of Australia. The Commonwealth acquired land between Murray and Wellington Street for the accommodation of government offices- General Post Office, Commonwealth Bank headquarters and Customs Department in 1911. The Customs Department wasn’t built. In 1916 plans were made to create a street between Murray and Wellington Streets for a civic precinct facing the railway station. Forrest Place was created in 1924. In 1929 plans were drawn for the Commonwealth Bank building by the Commonwealth Government Architect. Construction started in 1930 and the timber was supplied by Bunnings. The building was opened in 1933 and had the latest technologies of the time. By the 1970s the building was renovated to modernise it. In the 1980s Forrest Place was redeveloped into a civic precinct. The change in the bank’s policy to be more friendly and relaxed led to the internal rooms to be more open and the banking hall to be restored to its 1930s design. The bank has moved from this location and the ground floor has been divided into retail tenancies. The upper floors are currently used for offices.
Low level of integrity. Medium level of authenticity as it is largely as originally constructed with detail intact and it has had some unsympathetic internal changes recent restoration work has been undertaken to reverse this.
Good
| Name | Type | Year From | Year To |
|---|---|---|---|
| J S Murdoch | Architect | - | - |
| Ref ID No | Ref Name | Ref Source | Ref Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft Municipal Heritage Inventory | City of Perth | 2001 | |
| Visual Assessment | |||
| 720.9941 | WES Western Towns and Buildings, (1979) pp 61, 67, 68, 117, 131, 213 by Pitt Morrison, M and White, J | 1979 | |
| 1.33/242 | Heritage Place File | City of Perth | |
| Register of Heritage Places - Assessment Documentation Commonwealth Bank, Perth | 1995 |
| Library Id | Title | Medium | Year Of Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12048 | Commonwealth Bank, 242 Murray Street, Perth | Archival Record | 2024 |
| 6343 | Commonwealth Bank Building : referral. | C D Rom | 2003 |
| 7520 | Commonwealth Bank building cnr. Murray Street + Forrest Place, Perth : conservation plan annexure. | Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} | 2005 |
| 4378 | A conservation case study of the Commonwealth Bank, Forrest Place, Perth. | Heritage Study {Other} | 1988 |
| 4377 | Conservation Plan for Commonwealth Bank Building | Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} | 1998 |
| 6662 | Commonwealth Bank Building, Perth : archival record. | Archival Record | 2003 |
Individual Building or Group
| Epoch | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Original Use | COMMERCIAL | Bank |
| Present Use | COMMERCIAL | Bank |
| Style |
|---|
| Inter-War Beaux-Arts |
| Type | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Wall | CONCRETE | Concrete Block |
| Wall | STONE | Donnybrook Sandstone |
| General | Specific |
|---|---|
| OCCUPATIONS | Commercial & service industries |
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