Royal Perth Hospital Heritage Precinct
The Royal Perth Hospital Heritage Precinct is a group of Colonial, late nineteenth century and early twentieth century Hospital-use buildings. They developed as a Hospital Precinct in response to the impetus of Hospital needs.
The area embodies the first hospital in the colony, consistently caring for the sick of the community since 1855. The site includes:
- the Colonial Hospital of 1855
- Outpatients’ Extension of 1923
- the Administration Building of 1894
- the Infectious Diseases Ward of c. 1900
- Kirkman House of 1908 with Nurses’ Quarters of 1926
- the Old Kitchen of 1909,
- and the Radium Treatment Block of 1929 and 1955.
- A historical Moreton Bay Fig Tree from the early 1900s.
The associated landscape on site, have social value through a continuing involvement of Hospital Administrators, of Government officials, of doctors, of nurses, of Hospital Support staff including volunteers, professional architects and builders, and of patients from the community since the 1850s; the place reflects changes in hospital administration and medical care and the development of the City of Perth and the State of Western Australia from 1855 to the present day.
The National Trust of Western Australia obtained the management order for the Royal Perth Hospital Precinct in 2013 and is committed to ensuring the heritage values of the place are acknowledged through innovative and engaging interpretation.
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Colonial Hospital
Western Australia’s first dedicated hospital building opened on the present RPH site in Murray Street on 14th July 1855.
The convict built hospital was named the “Colonial Hospital” then renamed Perth Public Hospital in 1894, in 1921 to Perth Hospital then to “Royal Perth Hospital” 1946. The original hospital building still exists on the corner of Murray Street and Victoria Square although later extensions built to accommodate outpatients in the 1920’s now hide the Murray Street facades.
It is heritage listed and houses the medical library, offices and the old cafeteria function space.
The hospital as we know it today was completed in blocks from 1939 to 1988.
Learn more about the history of the Royal Perth Hospital by visiting their museum.
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Administration Building
Built in 1894 and supplementing the Original Hospital the Admin Building was constructed at a cost of £12.000 by Robert Bunning. Common Rooms kitchens and storage were on the bottom level. On the upper levels Dorms, library and offices. Over the years it has changed occupants many times from the original outpatient clinic to Nuclear Medicine. The bottom level now houses the Royal Perth Hospital Museum. Upper levels house the hospital adminstrative offices offices, Post Graduate Medicine and general offices
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Nurses Quarters
The Nurse’s home in Murray Street is now known as “Kirkman House”. As far back as 1902 the hospital management called the Government’s attention to the urgent necessity for further accommodation for nursing staff. By 1907 the situation was so acute the Govt was compelled to act resulting in the 1909 building. Before long extensions were needed resulting in further extensions in 1921 and 1926.
This building now houses Administrative Services and Medical consulting rooms. The inner courtyard is now enclosed as an atrium and is used as a small function area.
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Old Kitchens
Erected in 1909. In c1946 when the new kitchens were built in the new A block, the kitchens where converted to the Nurses lecture hall and library and incorporated a small special diet kitchen where the nurses learned to prepare meals for patients with special needs.
