General Post Office, Perth
| General Post Office | |
|---|---|
| Perth | |
The General Post Office building in Perth, Western Australia
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Post office |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Location | Western Australia |
| Address | 3 Forrest Place, Perth |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°57′08″S 115°51′32″E / 31.9522°S 115.8590°ECoordinates: 31°57′08″S 115°51′32″E / 31.9522°S 115.8590°E |
| Current tenants | |
| Construction started | 1914 |
| Completed | 1923 |
| Owner | Australia Post |
| Technical details | |
| Material | |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | |
| Designations | Commonwealth Heritage List & State Register of Heritage Places |
The General Post Office is a heritage landmark building in Perth, Western Australia. Located on the western side of Forrest Place in the city's central business district, its imposing stone facade is in the Beaux-Arts style. The building was completed in 1923 after almost a decade of construction, which was protracted by World War I and the resulting shortages of construction materials. At the time of its opening, it was the largest building in Perth.
In the first year of the colony, the harbourmaster was appointed to perform the postal services for the colony. A General Post Office was proclaimed in St Georges Terrace in 1835, and in 1841 a Postmaster General was appointed. The colonial Posts and Telegraph Department took over control of Perth's telegraph services in 1871, and telephone services in 1889. The Perth General Post Office was relocated to St Georges Terrace between 1887 and 1890, however by 1910 this accommodation was inadequate for the services provided. In 1900 there were 175 post offices across Western Australia, together with 160 telephone exchanges. The Commonwealth took over control of postal and telecommunication services at Federation in 1901.
On 28 November 1911, the Commonwealth Government bought 1.2 hectares (130,000 sq ft) of land across Wellington Street from the Perth railway station. This land stretched to Murray Street and featured an "unhealthy" shopping arcade named Central Arcade. The land was to be used as a Commonwealth Government precinct, allowing the Commonwealth departments to move out of the cramped Treasury Buildings at the corner of St Georges Terrace and Barrack Street, which it shared with the State Government. A proposal was made in 1912 for a 66-foot (20 m) wide street through the site featuring a new General Post Office building.
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