Local Government
Victoria Park
Region
Metropolitan
Cnr Albany Hwy & Mackie St Victoria Park
253 Albany Hwy
Victoria Park
Metropolitan
Constructed from 1905
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
| Type | Status | Date | Grading/Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | ||||
| Municipal Inventory | Adopted | 14 Jul 1998 | Category B | |
The Tram Stop has strong historic heritage significance. It reflects a way of life that no longer exists in Victoria Park or Western Australia, where once tram travel was considered an innovative mode of transport. The arrival of the trams in 1905 was a significant catalyst to commercial and residential development in Victoria Park and even some of the outer suburbs as the line was extended to Welshpool. The tram stop is also quite rare in Perth as few reminders of the tram era remain standing.
The Tram Stop is located on the south-east corner of the Albany Highway and Mackie Street. It is metal, and is currently used as a power pole. Though in poor condition the tram stop sign writing can still be clearly seen.
The tram stop is a solitary remainder of what was once a major revolutionary change in transport. Prior to the arrival of the tram in 1905, the people of Victoria Park were isolated from the city by the Swan River. Though ferries were available at South Perth and the causeway allowed pedestrians and horse and carts to cross the river flats, both still caused some difficulties. Cheap efficient and reliable public transport was therefore a boon to Victoria Park residents. In fact, the first tram crossing the Causeway was considered such an important event that a school holiday was declared. The tram service took people from Perth along Albany Road (later highway) to Duncan, Mint and Camberwell Streets. Later it was extended to the junction of Albany Highway and Shepperton Road and along Welshpool Road to the munition works during the war years. The tram service was not the smooth experience a train ride gives today. According to reminiscences of Victoria Menzies, an early Victoria Park resident, the trams rattled and bounced, often giving fear that the tram would leave the rails altogether. A consequence of trams was the attraction of businesses around the stops, eg. Terminus Butchers. The tram service in Perth grew markedly until the end of World War II but the 1950s saw their decline. Increasing cars and bus services that were not linked to rails took over as the popular form of transport. The last tram ran in 1958.
INTEGRITY: Fair
Fair
| Ref ID No | Ref Name | Ref Source | Ref Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Newspaper Article". | Southern Gazette | ||
| :Trams - A New Era.". | Town of Victoria Park) |
Historic site
| Epoch | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Original Use | Transport\Communications | Road: Other |
| Present Use | GOVERNMENTAL | Other |
| Type | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Other | METAL | Other Metal |
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