Perth Voice Interactive

AFTER plans to move into a Murray Street premises fell through the WA Club is now eyeing up the Old Perth Boys School as a new HQ.

The 117-year-old club is moving from its St Georges Terrace home—despite having only moved there in 1995—so it can increase membership from 1300 to 1500 to remain financially viable.

The club had planned to move into 58 Murray Street (the former HQ of chief protector of Aborigines AO Neville, who’d run the government’s child-stealing program) but a fundraising drive amongst members raised only 60 per cent of fit out costs so it didn’t proceed.

Club president Patrick Canion says a move into the old school on St Georges Terrace is now on the cards.

The school is in the hands of the National Trust, which didn’t renew Reveleys cafe’s lease in October 2010. It’s been empty since and, after a refurbishment, the Trust is looking for new tenants.

“We have been in discussions with the National Trust about potentially moving permanently into the Old Perth Boys’ School but it depends on them getting funding to finish the building works required and then us agreeing to a lease,” Mr Canion says.

“There is plenty of goodwill on both sides for this to happen but still a bit of water to go under the bridge before an agreement is reached.

“It was very disappointing that Murray Street didn’t work out but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”

by DAVID BELL