Raffles Hotel, Perth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raffles Hotel |
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The Raffles Hotel in Applecross, Perth
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| General information | |
| Type | Hotel |
| Architectural style | Inter-War Functionalist/Art-deco |
| Location | Applecross, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 32°00′39″S 115°51′06″E / 32.0108°S 115.8517°E |
| Completed | 1896 |
| Renovated | 1937, 2007, 2015 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | William G. Bennett |
| References | |
| Designated | 22 January 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1544 |
The Raffles Hotel is a famous building located in Applecross, a suburb of Perth. It sits right where Canning Highway meets Canning Beach Road. This hotel has two floors and is built in a special style called Inter-War Functionalist. It's one of the few hotels left in Perth that looks like this.
The hotel has been open for a very long time, since at least 1896. It was first known as the Canning Bridge Hotel. For over 50 years, until 2002, a property developer owned it. There was a big effort by the Art Deco Society of Western Australia to protect the building. They worked for ten years to make sure the hotel was not torn down.
Contents
A Look Back: The Hotel's History
The area around Canning Bridge was a great spot for people to stop and rest. This was because it was on the main road connecting Fremantle to Perth and Guildford. In January 1850, the first Canning Bridge was built. Soon after, in May, a man named Samuel Duffield got a licence for his "Bridge Inn of Canning." We don't know exactly where that inn was, but it might have been an early version of the Canning Bridge Hotel. The Canning Bridge Hotel was built in 1896 near the bridge on the Applecross side.
The Original Building
The first Canning Bridge Hotel was a single-storey building with a tall, pointy roof. Next to it, there was a separate building with a dance hall upstairs and refreshment rooms downstairs. The hotel was a popular place for many social groups and sports clubs. The local council, the East Fremantle District Road Board, even held its first meeting there in 1901.
A Big Change in 1937
In 1937, the hotel got a huge makeover. It was given a new, unique look by architect William G. Bennett. This happened at the same time a new bridge was being built and Canning Highway was being improved. The hotel was then renamed the Raffles Hotel, just like the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The new design, especially the front part of the hotel, was carefully planned. It was made to fit in well with the nearby Applecross District Hall, which was important to the community.
William Bennett was a talented architect. He had worked on the Applecross District Hall before. Some of his other famous buildings include the Plaza Theatre in Perth (1936–7) and the Olympic Pool in Kalgoorlie.
The hotel's reconstruction cost about 10,000 pounds. One cool new feature was a biergarten, which is an outdoor area for drinks and food. It's thought to be the first of its kind in Australia! This garden was located on the north side of the hotel.
A Modern Design
The Raffles Hotel's new design showed off a popular style of the time. It had smooth, simple shapes with strong horizontal lines. This design worked perfectly with its location by the river. The main feature was the large curved balconies on both floors facing the river. From these balconies, you could get amazing views of the Swan and Canning Rivers. The outside of the hotel was a creamy colour with lines that made it look even more modern. The roof over the first floor had colourful tiles, and green circular steps led to the hotel entrances from Canning Highway.
Later Years and Changes
In the 1940s and 1950s, the Raffles Hotel was known as a very trendy place in Perth. Later, it became famous for its bright neon signs. In 1959, a separate building with twenty rooms was added behind the main hotel. This new section was built to offer more rooms for families traveling.
More changes happened in 1985. A fire damaged the first floor, so a new metal roof was put on. A place for live music, called The Raffs, was also built on the river side of the hotel. A drive-through bottle shop was added too. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Raffles was a popular spot for live music, attracting many well-known local and national bands.
The Raffles Hotel Today
In 2002, the hotel property was sold to a construction company called Multiplex. They decided to build a tall apartment tower on the site. However, as part of the building plans, the original 1939 Art Deco hotel building was kept and made new again. So, the historic part of the Raffles Hotel is still standing and looks great!
Why the Raffles Hotel is Special
The Raffles Hotel is very important because of its history and unique design. It is listed on the City of Melville's Heritage Inventory. It was also recognized by the National Trust of Western Australia in 1995. In 2001, it was temporarily added to the State Register of Heritage Places, and then permanently registered in 2002. This means it's officially recognized as a special and important building that needs to be protected.
- City for all Seasons: The Story of Melville Cooper, W S and McDonald, G A (1989) City of Melville ISBN: 0-949663-02-6
- The City of Melville - from bushland to expanding metropolis Uren, Malcolm (1975) City of Melville
