Perth Voice Interactive

The vast majority of Mt Lawley and all of Inglewood will shift from Stirling and Vincent into a merged Bayswater-Bassendean super-council.

No-one saw it coming and it’s sending shockwaves through the leafy suburbs. Under premier Colin Barnett’s plan, only a tiny sliver of Mt Lawley spills the border, shared between Stirling and Perth.

Aghast Mt Lawley Society president Bruce Wooldridge says heritage is the big loser.

Last year Stirling council won an award for outstanding heritage practices by a local government and the council had established heritage protection areas in Mt Lawley, Menora and Inglewood.

“Stirling city council has been outstanding in recent years in demonstrating a strong approach to the retention of character in these areas,” he says.

“It is not a coincidence that Mt Lawley has the best-preserved federation era housing in Australia, as it takes a willingness and ongoing commitment by council to ensure that this is achieved.

“The local community has not been listened to. It continues to be our—and the overwhelming majority of local residents— preferred option that there be no change in local government boundaries for Mount Lawley, Inglewood and Menora.”

He notes Bayswater city council does not have a heritage protection area.

Stirling mayor David Boothman is concerned the council’s hard work preserving its streetscapes could be for naught: “It is a grave concern that such award-winning work with regards to the heritage protection of Mt Lawley has been largely ignored,” he says.

The new Bayswater/Bassendean council will extend west to Alexander Drive and east to Reid Highway.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK