Archbishop's Palace is a heritage-listed building in
Perth
Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
, Western Australia, used by bishops and archbishops of Perth since 1855.
In addition to the cultural value to the
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
community, the palace is a good example of architect
Michael Cavanagh's
Federation Academic Classical style, and a prominent landmark within the
Victoria Square precinct.
It is also known as the Catholic Church Office, and Roman Catholic Presbytery.
History
In the 1840s, Perth's first bishop, Father Brady, bought a large amount of land around
Victoria Square to accommodate the expected growth of the Roman Catholic population. His successor, Father Joseph Serra, was appointed in 1850, and following an 1853 visit to Rome determined he should have an
episcopal palace to live in. Work began in late 1855 with Serra making measurements for the palace building, which was constructed by 33 brothers from the
Diocese of Perth.
The palace's condition had deteriorated by 1911, and the internal furnishings were per
Benedictine
The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
principles sparse, and without modern comforts and conveniences. Archbishop Clune oversaw a renovation in 1911 to increase accommodation and office space, including a new eastern wing. Architect Michael Cavanagh designed the additions and alteration, which cost
£A
The pound (Currency symbol, sign: £, £A for distinction) was the currency of Australia from 1910 until 14 February 1966, when it was replaced by the Australian dollar. Like other £sd currencies, it was subdivided into 20 Shilling (Australian ...
7,000, equivalent to in . Further works in 1936 added a new section on the eastern side to house the increased administrative functions of the Roman Catholic Church.
By 2009, the Archbishop's Palace had again deteriorated, almost to a state of dereliction. Construction works in 2009 restored the outside of the building, updated the interior with new electrical and hydraulic services, installed a glass elevator, and built an underground car park. The project, designed by Philip Griffiths Architects and constructed by Colgan Industries, won a 2010
City of Perth
The City of Perth is a local government areas of Western Australia, local government area and body, within the Perth metropolitan area, which is the capital of Western Australia. The local government is commonly known as Perth City Council. T ...
Heritage Award and the 2011 MBA Best Historic Restoration and Renovation, as well as the Award for Heritage at the 2012 Western Australian Architecture Awards and the Award for Conservation and Adaptation at the 2012 City of Perth and Heritage Council Awards.
Description
Archbishop's Palace is located at 17
Victoria Square in the
suburb of Perth, adjacent to
Victoria Avenue,
with a frontage to
Hay Street via a down-sloping garden. It is situated south of
St Mary's Cathedral, and to the west of the Convent of Mercy,
Mercedes College, Perth
Mercedes College is an independent Roman Catholic single-sex secondary day school for girls, located in the Perth central business district, Western Australia.
The school was founded in 1846 by the Sisters of Mercy, thus making it the oldest ...
, and the earlier St. John's
Pro-Cathedral
A pro-cathedral or procathedral is a parish Church (building), church that temporarily serves as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese, or a church that has the same function in a Catholic missionary jurisdiction (such as an apostolic prefect ...
.
The palace is three storeys tall with a basement and corrugated
asbestos
Asbestos ( ) is a group of naturally occurring, Toxicity, toxic, carcinogenic and fibrous silicate minerals. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous Crystal habit, crystals, each fibre (particulate with length su ...
sheets covering the roof. The building has cement rendering, and is modelled in the Federation Academic Classical architectural style. Double storey verandahs, supported by double storey ionic columns, line the northern and southern sides. Architectural features include
quoining
Quoins ( or ) are masonry blocks at the corner of a wall. Some are structural, providing strength for a wall made with inferior stone or rubble, while others merely add aesthetic detail to a corner. According to one 19th-century encyclopedia, t ...
of corners and second floor windows,
scroll brackets for various windows, and
stained glass windows
Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...
.
See also
*
List of heritage buildings in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia was occupied by British settlers in 1829 and originally named the Swan River Colony. Many of the older buildings are still extant, and have been heritage-listed. The places are listed here in chronological order and inc ...
References
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State Register of Heritage Places in the City of Perth
Victoria Square, Perth
Buildings and structures of the Catholic Church in Australia