Kakulas Brothers and Greek Residential Group, Northbridge

Child Places

• 15764 House (fmr)
• 15766 House, 124 Aberdeen St, Northbridge
• 15765 House (fmr)
• 16434 Kakulas Bros Wholesale Goods
• 16434 Kakulas Bros Wholesale Goods
• 15766 House, 124 Aberdeen St, Northbridge

Statement of Significance

The place is an important demonstration of the burgeoning cultural diversity and demographic change which started to take shape in Western Australia in the inter war years. The place, and its use by Greek migrants from 1929, is indicative of a period when many Greek families, particularly from the island of Castellorizo, moved to Northbridge which became the social, commercial, and religious centre of Greek cultural life in Western Australia, and is a rare display of the types of businesses established by these migrants, and where they lived. The place has the capacity to demonstrate the lives and contributions of non-British migrants in Western Australia in the inter war and post-WWII period. It is emblematic of the migrant experience of overcoming adversity and illustrates the importance of relationships within migrant diasporic communities in supporting newer migrants to build successful livelihoods in new countries. The Kakulas Brothers store is an excellent example of a family-run continental grocery business and rare as one that has continued to operate in its original location, managed by the founding family, for over 90 years. The store became a known Greek community hub and support network to newly arriving migrants. It is also significant to many non-British migrants, particularly from southern Europe, stocking imported products that were not readily available in existing stores. The place has a high degree of social value to the Greek community for its long-standing association with Greek migrants since 1929. It is particularly associated with the well-known Kakulas family, who emigrated from Castellorizo in the early-twentieth century, and long-serving Greek Orthodox priest, Reverand Christophoros Manessis. The place, and in particular the Kakulas Brothers’ store’s longevity and increasing popularity over time, demonstrates the slow but eventual wholehearted embracing of mediterranean food and culture by the wider Western Australian population (Factor A). This wave of migration from the island of Castellorizo from 1890 onward left a lasting legacy on the State, with the majority of Greek-descendants in WA originating from there.

Physical Description

Kakulas Brothers and Greek Residential Group, Northbridge is a discontiguous precinct comprising three residences at 120-124 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge (c.1890s, 1897, 1912), and a Vernacular Federation-constructed shop (c.1895) with Inter War Free Classical detailing located at 185-187 William Street, Northbridge. The place is associated with Greek migration to WA, particularly from the island Castellorizo, and the community established in Northridge in the inter war period, where many families lived and developed businesses.

History

A small number of Greek immigrants were living in WA in the nineteenth century, though there does not appear to be a specific migration pattern during this time. The first arrival from the island Castellorizo was Athanasios Avgoustis, who settled in WA in 1896 and used the anglicised name Arthur Auguste. Auguste was the first leader of the Castellorizian Association (Brotherhood), formed in 1912. Others soon followed and by 1914, approximately 140 Castellorizians had immigrated to WA. Castellorizo had been under Turkish control up to 1913, during which time taxes and trade controls had crippled the island’s economy and religious restrictions impacted its cultural life. During WWI, the island was occupied by the French and subject to extensive Turkish shelling and German bombing raids, leaving the buildings and infrastructure severely damaged. As the island’s prosperity declined, many inhabitants migrated to the United States, Australia, and other areas. Although there was a strong preference for British migrants in the early twentieth century as stipulated in the 1901 Immigration Restriction Act (known as the White Australia Policy), this did not prevent the arrival of Greek migrants in WA. By 1921, a total of 576 Greek-born residents were in WA, the majority being males. Though most Greek migrants settled in the metropolitan area (particularly Perth and Fremantle), many ventured to the goldfields and south-west regions, though distribution across the state was extensive. In the inter war years, Northbridge became a popular area for Greek migrants to settle, especially after a new Hellenic Community Hall was built on Parker Street in 1925. By the 1930s, Northbridge was firmly established as the Greek community’s ‘residential, cultural and religious heartland’10 with the area acquiring a Greek character. Greek families purchased existing houses in Aberdeen, Francis, Lake, Newcastle, Pier, Parker, Shenton and John Streets, close to the Hellenic Hall (c.1925 building replaced in 1969) and Greek Orthodox Church (built 1937). Boarding houses for single men were along William and Roe Streets. Many migrants living in Fremantle and regional areas also moved to Northbridge. Residences occupied by Greek families generally had lemon and olive trees, and often grape vines, planted in their gardens to create a sense of their Mediterranean origins. By 1935, nine Greek families lived in Aberdeen Street, when twelve years previously there had been none. Newcomers either formed new businesses or sought employment in already established Greek-run businesses, such as restaurants, cafes, and other shops or markets. Most these businesses generally catered to the growing Greek and Southern European communities. One of the Greek-owned businesses established in Northbridge during this time was Kakulas Brothers grocery store, founded in 1929. The Kakulas are one of the many Greek families originally from Castellorizo. Evangelos Kakulas initially settled in Fremantle in 1923 with his son Stavros, where they sold fish door to door and later ran a fruit stand outside the railway station. Evangelos’ brother, Varthalamos, had immigrated to Fremantle in c.1912 where he operated a fruit shop. After a period working at the Port Pirie lead smelter in South Australia, where a large Castellorizian community had established, Evangelos purchased the Teeny Thomas Ginger Beer store at 185 William Street, Perth in 1929, which comprised the central store of the building where Kakulas Brothers now stands. As the name suggests the store sold ginger beer and was staffed by Evangelos and his two eldest sons, Stavros and Michael (who arrived in 1926 with the remaining family), before branching out into eggs, fruit and tobacco. By the 1930s the store was importing products from Greece stocking olives, olive oil, bags of beans, lentils and chickpeas amongst other products appealing to European migrants. Given many of these products were not available in most other stores, the shop was frequented by Greeks, Italians, Macedonians, Albanians, and Yugoslavs. Evangelos passed away in July 1936 and the store continued to be run by Stavros and Michael, later joined by younger brother George (Irakli) after he finished school. Along with food products, the store sold Greek newspapers and established a Greek library, where customers could borrow Greek books. The store became a community hub, and the brothers would assist newly arrived migrants, providing aid and occasionally shelter in a building at the rear of the shop. No. 120 Aberdeen Street Purchased by Peter, son of Varthalamos Kakulas, and Pelagia Kakulas in 1933, the c.1890s residence at No. 120 Aberdeen Street (numbered 126 until 1907) was the family home.22 Both had separately emigrated from Castellorizo in 1918. Peter initially lived in Fremantle but later moved to Northbridge after opening a fruit shop there in 1930 with his brother Arthur, which later expanded into a coffee shop (1935-1942). Peters Greengrocers was located at 160 Murray Street (no longer extant) and operated into the 1970s, eventually managed by son Nicholas. The family opened another business in 1951, Peters by the Sea in Scarborough, that still operates today (2026). Following the deaths of Peter (1967) and Pelagia (1992), the property passed on to their children Kathleen (Kath) Malaxos, Barthalamos (Bartley), Nicholas (Nick), and Theofilos (Theo) Kakulas. Bartley Kakulas established the law firm BP Kakulas in 1958, which became known as Kakulas & Kakulas when Theo joined in 1960. In 1988 Bartley was the first Castellorizian in Australia appointed a Queens Counsel. Bartley’s son Peter joined Kakulas & Kakulas in 1989. No. 122 Aberdeen Street Reverend Christophoros Manessis purchased 122 Aberdeen Street in 1931 where he lived with his family. The residence was built c.1897 and numbered 128 Aberdeen Street until 1907. Manessis was the first Greek resident to occupy a house in this block of Aberdeen Street. In 1957 he became the foundation priest at the Annunciation of Our Lady (Evangelismos) Church, West Perth, where he served until retirement in 1975. No. 124 Aberdeen Street Stavros and Michael Kakulas purchased 124 Aberdeen Street in 1930, a Federation Queen Anne residence built in 1912, one of several properties in Northbridge owned by the brothers. The brothers opened a second store at 317 William Street (1939) which also provided ‘Australian’ goods. It closed in 1970. After WWII, peace treaties saw the island of Castellorizo demilitarised and returned to Greece. At the time, there were only 663 people remaining on the island, but around 1,500 Castellorizians in Western Australia. The population of predominantly Castellorizian pre-war Greek migrants were foundational in both the establishment and the continuation of Greek community networks, organisations and facilities in the State. Post war migration further increased the number of Greek families in the area, along with other immigrant groups (notably Italians), and Northbridge further developed into an inner-city working-class area. Kakulas Brothers was an important centre for these groups and the business continued to expand in the 1950s. New products were introduced including Greek olives, nuts and dried fruits, pasta, and peeled tomatoes, catering to the newly arrived migrants. The Kakulas family continued to be heavily involved in Greek organisations through the twentieth century, including the Hellenic Community of WA and the Hellenic Club. Women of the Kakulas family were involved from at least the mid-1950s in the Hellenic Women’s Society, a social and philanthropic association. Several members of the Kakulas family have been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. In the 1970s, Stavros, Michael, and George Kakulas, along with the Hellenic Community of WA, donated ten acres in Forrestfield used to construct a Greek Orthodox church and monastery, named the Holy Monastery of Saint John. They were later recognised for their services and contributions to the church. Michael Kakulas was chief chanter at the Greek Orthodox cathedral from the inter war years until late in his life, and in later years was appointed an Archon of the Patriarch of Constantinople, one of the highest honours in the Greek Orthodox Church. In 1990 Evan Stavros and George Junior, sons of Stavros and George, joined the Kakulas Brothers business, though the founding brothers continued to work at the store. As of 2026, two of the three residences (excluding 122 Aberdeen St) are owned by descendants of the original Greek owners and are leased as office spaces. The Kakulas Brothers store is still operating at its original location managed by Evan and George Kakulas and continues to provide a similar range of products.

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