Mends Street Jetty

Statement of Significance

• The jetty and its associated buildings have aesthetic value as a collection of structures in a landscaped setting adjacent to Perth water which are a landmark in the district and when viewed from the city of Perth.
• The place has historic value for its association with the earliest jetty at the site built in 1894 which was a key element in the development of the commercial strip in South Perth.
• The place has historic value for its association with the Perth Zoo which was a strong motivation for visitors to South Perth in the late 19th century until the present day.
• The place has historic value for its association with the tram stop located adjacent to the jetty which was in operation from 1922 to 1950.
The place has social value for the many members of the community who use the ferries for commuting or for recreational purposes.

Physical Description

The Mends Street Jetty has been rebuilt since its first construction. The timber pile-driven jetty has a concrete deck. Since the 1990s, the jetty has had a substantial timber building on the shore end, providing kiosk and high quality dining facilities and now forms an integral aspect of the South Perth foreshore and a terminating feature of Mends Street.

History

The growth of South Perth was slow until the 1880s when the discovery of gold in Western Australia from 1885 led to an increase in population, with land facing Perth Water progressively sub-divided between 1886 and 1904. It was during this period that much of the infrastructure of South Perth was developed. Prior to this period although there was considerable river traffic around the small colony, boats would have pulled up at accessible sites or private jetties on the South Perth foreshore.

In March 1894, the South Perth Road Board called for tenders to construct a jetty at a site near Mends Street. Plans had been prepared by the Road Board and soundings taken for its construction. It is probable that construction followed in 1894 as the jetty was in place in 1895 when stairs to the jetty were added by the Road Board.

The first regular ferry service using Mends Street Jetty was established by Joseph Charles who introduced two ferries, Queen (later Empress) and Princess in c1897, to run between the William Street and Queen Street jetties in South Perth. This service was then extended to Mends Street.

In November 1898, the South Perth Roads Board received a request from the South Perth Ferry Company to widen the head of the jetty on the west side and at that time they had the sole right to use the portion erected by them. This request was consistent with the need to improve the ferry service to South Perth for the Perth Zoo which opened in October 1898. Ernest Le Souef, Director of the Zoo, and C Y O’Connor, Government Engineer in Chief, saw the necessity of improving the cross-river ferry service, in order to ensure the success of the Zoo. To provide for an adequate ferry service, they proposed that the jetty at Mends Street be widened to 15 feet (5 metres). The improved Mends Street Jetty would coincide with the building of a new jetty at the end of Barrack Street.

Charles and S W Copley, business partners, expanded their ferry service with the introduction of the locally constructed ferry, 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 12 December 1898 , which reported that approximately 1,000 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.

The original entrance to the Perth Zoo in Mill Point Road (then known as Suburban Road) was only a five minute walk from the Mends Street Jetty. The ease of access from the jetty to the zoo was the catalyst to the development of the Mends Street commercial centre. 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.

On a map of South Perth by Real Estate Agents, Owtram and Purkiss, dated 1902, Mends Street Jetty was one of three jetties on the south side of Perth Water, the other two being at Queen Street and Coode Street.

The ferry service from Mends Street Jetty was a problematic service as often the service did not meet commuters’ needs. This led to the nationalization of the Mends Street ferry service in 1904. (The Olsen and Sutton service to Coode Street continued successfully). However, despite the State Government purchasing the Mends Street ferries, the service did not improve the number of services or profitability. In 1927, with the retirement of the Duchess, the ferry service deteriorated.

During the late 1930s, the South Perth foreshore underwent considerable reclamation works which shifted the river's edge. This resulted in portion of the jetty being on the land. Although no documentary evidence has been found in this research it is probably that the jetty was rebuilt as part of these works. Improvements to the entry to the jetty including gardens and a shelter were constructed as part of the reclamation works.

The route from Barrack Street to the Mends Street Jetty was plied by the Mayflower and the Foam until 1943 with the inauguration of a new ferry, the Duchess II which was more adequate for the service.

In c1975, the jetty was rebuilt to a design by the Public Works Department at a location slightly to the east of the original location.

In the 1990s the Department of Planning and Infrastructure (incorporating some of the responsibilities of the Department of Transport) commissioned a major upgrade of facilities at the Mends Street Jetty. The Department replaced the old 1960s concrete shelter and toilets with a new shelter, and privately operated restaurant and kiosk for the use of commuters or visitors to the jetty. At the time of this major redevelopment, the jetty was modified and widened at the shore end, so as to accommodate a café and kiosk for passengers, a ticketing area, public toilets and boardwalk around the western side of the building. Passenger shelters were also provided along the jetty. The new buildings were opened in December 1998.

Since c1997, the ferry service from Perth to Mends Street Jetty managed by Transperth continues to operate two boats, the Shelley Taylor-Smith and the Duchess.

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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.