Hay Street Mall Precinct

Parent Place or Precinct

15846 Central Perth Precinct

Child Places

• 01999 Sheffield House
• 26605 Commercial Building
• 25958 Moana Building
• 04148 St Martins Arcade
• 04334 City Arcade
• 02001 Bacton House
• 26603 Building
• 26631 Building
• 02152 Economic Store (fmr)
• 26608 Commercial Building
• 01990 McNess Royal Arcade
• 26606 Commercial Building
• 01997 Sandover Building
• 01991 Connor Quinlan Building
• 01995 Commercial Building
• 26633 Commercial Building
• 16487 Katies House
• 26604 Commercial Building
• 01992 Bridal House
• 26632 Commercial Building
• 26607 Commercial Building
• 03613 Plaza Theatre (fmr) & Arcade
• 01996 Trinity Building
• 04333 Bank of New South Wales (NSW)
• 01994 Sportslane & Kodak
• 25958 Moana Building
• 26602 Building

Values

The place has high aesthetic value as a intact city streetscape. There are a number of buildings within the area that also have aesthetic value on an individual basis.

The place has been the City of Perth’s retail, social and commercial centre dating from as early as the 1850s and 1860s and its significant role has been consolidated by the progressive improvement of the pedestrian malls in this area from the establishment of the Mall in 1970/1971 up to the present day.

Much of the form that exists in City of Perth Central Precinct in 2002 occurred during and in the aftermath of the discovery of gold in Western Australia in the 1880s and 1890s and subsequent huge increase in population due to the gold rushes and economic prosperity.

Physical Description

The area is located in Hay Street, being the pedestrian mall section located between Barrack Street and William Street. The precinct incorporates both the north and south sides of the Hay Street Mall as well as such elements as street trees, signage and street furniture.

The buildings located within this area date from the Gold Boom period (1880s-1900s), the Federation/Late Gold Boom period (1900s – 1920s), the Inter War period (1920s-1940s), and the late 20th Century period (1970s on).

The majority of these buildings are multi-storey and are of brick construction with modern shopfronts at ground floor level.

History

In broad terms, the historical development of Hay Street, the main shopping street of Perth dating from the 1850s, is a reflection of the main periods of change for the city as a whole. The majority of buildings in Hay Street are retail at ground level with offices above.

One of the most significant changes to Hay Street has been the creation of a pedestrian mall in Hay Street between William and Barrack Streets in 1970, which was done in an attempt to encourage shoppers back to the city retail area. Amid some controversy, Hay Street became a permanent mall in 1971 and since this time the mall has been progressively upgraded; the last of these improvements undertaken in 1998. In December 2001, plans have been proposed for the upgrade of Hay and Murray Street Malls, Forrest Place and railway station forecourt.

There are a number of the buildings still extant in the Hay Street Mall that date from the Federation/Late Gold Boom period, although many now appear in an altered form. Several of these buildings were once part of the Connor Quinlan Estate, which was owned by prominent businessmen Dan Connor and Timothy Quinlan, who together began to invest in Perth real estate in the 1890s during the gold rush period. They purchased three blocks in the central city area bounded by Hay, Barrack and Murray Streets and by 1904 these blocks ‘were tenanted by over eighty shopkeepers, businesses and hoteliers’. Particular buildings of note constructed as part of the estate include Connor Quinlan Building (c. 1900), Commercial Building, 618 Hay Street (Moana Café – c. 1909) and Savoy Hotel (1914).

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity- High
Authenticity- Moderate

Condition

Good/ Fair

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.