Parliament House Perth, Inside the House on the Hill

Parliament house, can be seen on the hill at the end of St George’s Terrace and is known as the House on the Hill. The impressive building is not a museum but a working building and taking a tour to watch debates and view proceedings is a must. Our tour by a very knowledgeable guide was when parliament wasn’t sitting so we got to go into the chambers, sit in the members seats and see all the key parts of the building. We even got a bird’s eye view down St George’s Terrace. Located on the outskirts of the city centre, a short 15 minute walk from the CBD. Parking is limited so walking or catching the free CAT bus is recommended.

On a free public tour conducted on Thursday and Friday, you will learn how Parliament works and can explore the history of WA’s democratic system. The format of the tour does vary, but generally you will learn about the functions, procedures and rich history of the Parliament of Western Australia. If you are lucky enough to attend when Parliament is sitting, you can view Parliament at work from the public gallery of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly chambers.

The building of the Harvest Terrrace façade with two chambers was first opened in 1904 with the eastern façade to be added later. Due to economic issues and two world wars, Parliament House remained unfinished for 60 years.

The original 1904 plans were scaled down and the eastern wing costing £416 500 was completed in 1964 consisting of two levels on the southern wing with 12 new offices. 2004 saw completion of a northern extension providing additional offices and meeting rooms and the final addition opened in 1978.

Parliament House is one of the oldest civic buildings in the state and was originally planned to be built in the city centre on a much grander scale. The building was built in three sections, first the Western section in 1904, which incorporated two chambers, public galleries, second storey library and offices for the Presiding Officers, members and staff.  The Eastern section was opened in 1964 and in 1978 the final addition opened. The styles and materials used are varied. The style of the original Harvest Terrace wing is made from Rottnest Island Limestone and is Federation Academic Classical style.

Above street level on the stone parapet of this façade are two sentinels each a metre high that came from House of Parliament in Westminster, London and presented by the Empire Parliamentary Association in 1935. These statuettes are symbols of the UK Coat of Arms and are made from ancient stone are a lion, representing England and a unicorn, representing Scotland.  The Harvest Terrace wing was originally designed and built as an open colonnade but the arches are now enclosed with windows to expand the Member’s Dining Room.  The room seats 120 guests and is used for many functions. The Centenary Room, which seats 35 people can open to extend the size of the dining room. The Swan Mace room seats 14.

The architectural styles range from the 1900s grand Federation Academic Classical to the more classical lines and columns featured in the 1960s Stripped Classical style.

The second storey was completed in Donnybrook free stone as Rottnest Island stone became depleted. The final, east facing façade is Stripped Classical also using Donnybrook stone on the exterior. The eastern additions covered three floors incorporating a circulate structure housing a helicoidal, reinforced, post-stressed staircase clad in imported Italian Travertine Marble.

The cleaning of the 42 chandeliers in Parliament House takes place annually. The largest, in the main foyer on the ground floor of the eastern extension, came from London in 1851. It was removed from Mount House, home of William Knight, the fourth Auditor General of Western Australia, when the building was demolished to make way for the construction of the Mitchell Freeway.

The swan mosaic was laid in the parquetry floor installed in the Forrest foyer in 1992 and is made from local timbers Jarrah, Marri, Wandoo and Blackbutt representing the timber industry established in 1829. It is also inlaid with Mother of Pearl, representing the pearl industry and banded Ironstone, Agate and Iron Ore, representing Was mining industry.

The second floor houses the Aboriginal People’s Room and Gallery and contributes to WA Aboriginal People showcasing their traditional and contemporary art work. From this room we had a bird’s eye view down St George’s Terrace.

Western Australia’s upper House, or the Legislative Council is red, representing nobility, as the nobles from the House of Lords in UK original formed the House of Lords. The House of Commons, or the lower House in the UK is green and is said to represent the common people meeting on grass. It is not known why Western Australia did not follow this concept. As the Legislative Assembly, or lower House is blue. It is thought that due to the gold rush in the 1890s and the need to build infrastructure like railways, Fremantle Harbour, Supreme Court, Parliament and the water pipeline to Kalgoorlie that there was not enough month left to furnish the Legislative Assembly. With the colony transitioned from being the poorest in Australia to one of the wealthiest and investment in necessary infrastructures, the original furnishings from the Legislative Council when located in Perth CBD were transferred to the new building completed in 1904.

Both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council are housed in the original building both incorporating jarrah timber walls and stained glass windows.

In the Legislative Assembly on the table, you will be able to see the Mace. Carried by the Sergeant at Arms at the beginning and end of the day, this is a symbol of the power of the Speaker and the need to protect the Speaker’s authority. Made from silver and gold leaf, the mace was designed in 1887 and manufactured in South Australia for £70 and is the oldest Parliamentary mace in Australia.

The Black Swan is native to Perth and serves as our regional symbol. As well as being the central mosaic in the Forrest foyer parquetry floor, 4 Black Swans feature on the floor of the Legislative Assembly and are placed so they can be seen from every angle.

Western Australia was not granted its own Coat of Arms until 1969, so when Parliament House was first designed in the late 1980s it adopted the coat of arms of the UK under the sovereign of Queen Victoria.

The Legislative Council (upper house) chamber is red, the traditional colour for Upper House according to the Westminster system. This house has a unique emblem incorporating the Royal Coat of Arms of the UK with the Black Swan of Western Australia, known as Cygnus Atratus.  Along the Table of the House in its brass cradle lies the one metre long, Black Rod.  Designed by the British Crown Jeweller in London it was presented to Legislative Council by Her Majesty the Queen in 1954 to mark her visit.

In the Legislative Council is an officer known as The Usher of the Black Rod, appointed by the Governor and at the beginning of each sitting day, he escorts the President into the chamber whilst carrying the Black Rod. The Black Rod is one metre in length and was designed by the Crown Jeweller and presented to the Legislative Council in 1954 to mark the of Her Majesty the Queen.

We found the guide knowledgeable and informative as he escorted us from the grandeur of the entry staircase and along the gorgeous lit halls. We passed many portraits from our first Legislative Council, led by Governor Captain James Stirling to those of our past Premiers. The tour was when Parliament was not sitting so we got to go into the chambers and sit in the Member’s seats. The guide explained to us how Parliament is conducted and showed us all the key parts of the building.

Public tours of Parliament House are conducted every Monday and Thursday at 10.30am, except public holidays. On sitting days members of the public can observe parliamentary procedures from the galleries of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly for one hour.

Have you been on a tour of Parliament House? Which area do you like the best?

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