Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Club

Statement of Significance

The Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Club has aesthetic, historic and social cultural heritage significance. The clubhouse has commanding views across the water to the City of Perth and is a well balanced low building that fits in well to the foreshore. It has played a vital social role for those interested in sailing since its inception in 1962 and is linked to the historic Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Club in Perth established in 1897.

Physical Description

The original clubhouse is a concrete framed building, rendered and painted. It has a shallow pitch metal deck roof. The central portion of the building is three storeys high with viewing room at the top, built partly over the middle level and over the verandah to the first floor. The lower level is enclosed. The top level is a later addition. The 1960s building to the south has a large clubroom and verandah facing onto the river. To the north of this there are boat sheds with timber framed asbestos faced and metal deck roof adjacent to a 1980s built boat storage area. The latest building for boat storage has a higher curved roof and is built using a metal frame.

History

The history of the Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Club goes back to 1897 when the first clubhouse was built at the foot of William Street in the Esplanade, Perth. Races for mixed fleets attracted many yachts on to the Swan River. The name 'Flying Squadron' came from the 'Sydney Flying Squadron' which raced 18 foot open sailing centre board live ballast boats, which were known all over the world in the 1890s as the largest sail carrying craft. The sail spread gave people the impression the boats were flying. In 1962 owing to pressure on space and the building of the Narrows bridge the Perth Flying Squadron moved to its present site, Dalkeith. The clubhouse designed by architect L W Buckeridge, now stands on a large block of the foreshore. The reclaimed property leased by the club was originally 1.6 acres in size costing £35,000. The clubhouse was built under the direction of the Commodore J Digby Leach who officiated at the opening. Over the years a number of boat and storage sheds have been built and the property increased to four acres in 1966. The two storey clubhouse formerly had a storage area for dinghies in the lower hal f of the building. This has recently been closed in and renovated as a function room. Members facilities are considered functional as opposed to palatial. Many changes have been made owing to different expectations by people in the 19905. The Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Club was not a wealthy club in the 1960s and much of the building was completed owing to the drive and self help philosophy of the members. The jetty was built using second hand timber salvaged from the Narrows construction project and the old Fremantle Traffic Bridge. Unfortunately this has led to some problems with rotting. Today (1998) the Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Club has 550 members. Though this is an increase since the early 1990s the social role of sailing is changing. Fewer junior members are joining as teenagers are drawn away by so many sports being offered today. Nevertheless there are still many boats on the water on the official sailing days of the club; Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Twilight sailing is also popular but these are social events only. Owing to the increased population in Perth all the boat pens in the Swan River (as well as Hillarys and Frernantle) are full. This has led to new pens being built at Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Club.

Integrity/Authenticity

Reasonable

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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