Mends Street Jetty

Values

The place has social value as it has been in regular use by the community for over 100 years as a jetty.

The place is associated with C.Y. O’Connor, as he proposed widening of the jetty when he foresaw the necessity to transport people across the river.

The place played a vital role in the development of South Perth’s as a community and business district.

Physical Description

‘The Jetty has been rebuilt since its first construction. The timber pile driven jetty has a concrete deck. Over the years it has had various passenger shelters ranging from a gabled wooden waiting room to a 1960’s concrete block shelter. In 2003, the jetty had a substantial building on the shire end providing kiosk and dining facilities.’

History

‘It is not clearly defined when the Mends Street jetty was first built though it has been noted that prior to the opening of the Perth Zoo that the jetty was in existence. However, the Mends Street jetty became a major part of the transport system between Perth and South Perth with the opening of the Perth Zoo in October 1898. Ernest Le Souef the Director of the Zoo and C.Y. O’Connor the government’s Engineer in Chief had seen the necessity of a cross river ferry service for the Zoo to be a success and proposed that the existing jetty at Mends Street be widened to 15 feet. This was to coincide with the building of a new jetty at the end of Barrack Street, Perth, to serve as a ferry terminal and the establishment of a regular ferry service. On a map of South Perth by real Estate Agents Owtram and Purkiss in 1902, Coode Street jetty was one of three jetties on the south side of Perth Water and the other two jetties were at Queen Street and Mends Street.’

‘The first regular ferry service using Mends Street Jetty was established by Joseph Charles who introduced two ferries, Queen (later the Empress) and Princess in 1897, to run between the William Street and Queen Street jetties in South Perth. This service was then extended to Mends Street, Charles and SW Copley, business partners, expanded their service with the introduction of the locally constructed ferry the Duchess. The Duchess made its inaugural South Perth run to Mends Street Jetty on 11 December 1898, two months after the Perth Zoo was opened. The superior capacity of the Duchess allowed large groups of people to attend the Zoo, as attested by the West Australian on 12th December 1898, which reported that approximately 1000 people visited the zoo the day after the Duchess went into service. The Duchess became the bastion of the South Perth ferry service under Captain J. Game until she was retired in 1927.’

‘Another ferry business was operated by Jack Olsen and Claes Sutton. Sutton built up a large ferrying business operating on most parts of the Swan River. However, his main focus was on the services between Point Belches, Mends Street, and Coode Street jetties. Sutton has a fleet named from his Scandinavian origins, some included Valfreda, Valkyrie I and II, Valdhana and Valhalla. The Valkyrie II was a double decked boat with a capacity of carrying 245 passengers.’

‘The original entrance to the Zoo in Mill Point Road was only a five-minute walk from Mends Street Jetty. The ease of access and the exciting prospect of travelling across the river as part of a Zoo outing led to an enthusiastic public response to the new facility. The establishment of the Zoo and the ferry service at Mends Street Jetty was also the catalyst to the development of the Mends Street commercial centre. The Windsor Hotel was opened in November 1898 followed by a range of services such as tearooms to accommodate the many visitors to the area. Recognising the need for shelter at the jetty for inclement weather, the South Perth Road Board commissioned prominent local architect, Henry Prockter, to design a shelter shed in 1901.’

‘The ferry service from Mends Street jetty was a much-debated topic, as often the service did not meet commuters needs. This led to the nationalisation of the Mends Street ferry service in 1904. However, despite the State Government purchasing the Mend Street Ferries, the change did not improve the number of services or profitability. In reading Cec Florey’s history of the City of South Perth it is obvious that the ferry service has been a constant source of complaint and debate on how to improve its reliability and effectiveness. In 1927, with the retirement of the Duchess, the ferry service deteriorated. The route from Barrack Street to the Mends Street jetty was plied by the Mayflower and the Foam, both considered inadequate. However, owing to the onset of the Depression the boats were not replaced.’

‘In 1935 when the privately owned Coode Street ferry service changed hands and continued to operate successfully, the Government owned and operated Mends Street service caused increasing concerns, but it was not until 1943 that the situation improved with the inauguration of the new ferry, the Duchess II.’

‘In the 1990’s the Department of Planning and Infrastructure commissioned a major upgrade of facilities at the Mends Street Jetty. The Department replaced the old 1960’s concrete shelter and toilets with a new shelter, restaurant and kiosk for the use of commuters or visitors to the jetty. The new buildings were opened in December 1998. Since 1997, the ferry service from Perth to Mends Street jetty has been operated by Captain Cook Cruises under contract from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure who have jurisdiction over the operating of the ferry service and maintenance of the jetty. Captain Cook Cruises runs two boats, the Shelley Taylor Smith and the Duchess and carries approximately 400 000 passengers each year. The service from Mends Street starts at 6.50am and about 36 crossings are made each day.’

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity- High
Authenticity- Moderate

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.