Grants to revitalise WA heritage places

Wednesday, 12 October 2016
 
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• 28 heritage places to share in $1.27 million in State Government funding
• Projects include 15 regional and 13 metropolitan State Registered Places 

Four 1890s workers' cottages within the Brookman and Moir Streets Precinct in Perth are among 28 heritage projects to receive funding under the State Government's 2016-17 Heritage Grants Program.

Heritage Minister Albert Jacob said this year's grants would assist private owners to conserve and revitalise 15 regional and 13 metropolitan State Registered heritage properties.

"This year's Heritage Grants Program provides more than $1.27 million which, when combined with owner contributions, will generate almost $3 million in conservation works," Mr Jacob said.

"I am pleased to see this year's round include support for the ongoing restoration of the Brookman and Moir Streets Precinct, with work in recent years creating a lively streetscape that has helped revitalise these historical homes.  The residents have come together as a community to make the heritage of the area an appealing feature."

The Brookman and Moir Streets Precinct was built as a residential estate for working class families between 1897 and 1898.  This year, the precinct will receive almost $300,000 to assist the owners of four cottages with urgent conservation works such as underpinning, re-roofing and repairing structural cracks.

Five other projects will receive the maximum grant of $100,000, including Kalgoorlie's Exchange Hotel, for conservation works including removing inappropriate paint from exterior walls and repairing the roof and turret.

Picton's Forrest Homestead, childhood residence of Sir John Forrest, the first Premier of Western Australia, includes a row of olive trees, with one planted by William Forrest for each of his sons.

The health of these trees has deteriorated and this year's grant will assist with a condition assessment and treatment, ensuring the trees continue to stand. 

The grants program offers dollar-for-dollar funding to private owners for urgent conservation works or documentation to help plan future works.  It is one of the few grant programs in Australia to assist private owners with the costs associated with maintaining heritage places.

Since the program's inception in 1997, 745 heritage projects had received grants totalling more than $18 million.

Fact File

• More information and photographs of the grant projects are available at http://www.stateheritage.wa.gov.au