Perth Voice Interactive

Your free, independent newspaper

recent posts

about

  • Three little boys…

    Three little boys…

    The “three little boys” from Lake Street.

    The “three little boys” from Lake Street.

    THIS week’s Vincent Local History Centre story “Three Boys in Lake Street” comes from Con Christ. The local history awards are coming up again and this was a 2018 winner of the Geoffrey Bolton Award for a written piece on life in Vincent. If you have a tale, photo, diary or other piece of memorabilia, enter before July 30 via http://www.library.vincent.wa.gov. au/ or call 9273 6534. 

    This is the story of three boys who grew up in Lake Street, Perth in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. 

    The area we lived, played and schooled in is now known as Northbridge.

     We locals knew it as Perth or Little Italy. 

    Lake Street was ours! We knew everybody who lived there, even the parents, all the shopkeepers and traders and the regular callers such as the baker, milko, rubbish collector, postie etc…

    Our street was a grand mix of housing and small businesses. We even had a kindergarten with a small park in front of it. It was just another place to play football. 

    The Red Lion Inn

    To us boys the two most famous businesses in the world was our Dad’s box factory at number 18 Lake Street, followed closely by the Kun Min Café at 181 William Street which he purchased shortly after moving from the Lake Street box factory. 

    Our house was the centre of the universe as far as we three boys were concerned.

    We had everything: loving family, great neighbours, a football, a cricket bat, marbles, a few toys, great weather most of the time, lots of room to play football and cricket and access to all sorts of wonderful places and things.

    The three of us sold newspapers after school. 

    We gave all the money earned to Mum to help with the family budget. 

    Con and Peter sold copies of The Daily News, Perth’s afternoon newspaper at the time, on behalf of McDonalds Newsagency on Brisbane Street.

    Our selling area (known as ‘our round’) was the western side only of William Street from Newcastle Street to Francis Street west to Lake Street and back to Newcastle Street.

    The McDonalds had several other boys in adjoining areas. We had our regular customers but the best places to sell the papers were: 

    • the Britannia Wine Saloon, (which later became a backpacker hostel) on the corner of Francis Street and William Street; 

    • the Red Lion Inn in Aberdeen Street; 

    • and the  Gascoyne Traders Transport depot in Francis Street. 

    At each place we would open the door and yell “Dailynnewspaperrrrrr…” and the customers would flock to us.

    Being minors we were not allowed to enter the hotel premises. When the paper cost four pence (three cents) it was wonderful.

    Most of the customers would give us sixpence (five cents) and say, “keep the change kid”.

    When the price rose to sixpence, that was the end of the extra ‘tips’ as they were known.

    We generally sold the Daily between 3.30pm and 5.30pm or earlier if we sold out. We returned the money and any unsold papers to Mr McDonald who was waiting at the newsagency.

    We would then be paid and go home for tea or kick a football around awaiting tea…

  • Noodle time

    Noodle time

    IF you’re like me, you’ve walked past the entrance to McLean Lane – the alleyway linking Murray and King Streets – many times without venturing in. 

    You know the one – Santorini-blue paint, colourful hanging lamps. 

    For me, it has always held the promise of magic.  Perhaps I have avoided it for fear it would not yield the talking toads and umbrella-toting rabbits I demanded. 

    Having finally made the journey into the Lane, I can say that although no magical critters presented themselves, I didn’t leave disappointed. I left with a belly full of udon from Hifumiya.

    With terms like corporate culture and consumer culture being tossed around like hot tempura potatoes, here’s one I don’t think we hear enough of – udon culture. 

    At Hifumiya, which opened in 2018, udon culture is about using natural materials to create comfortable spaces, treating employees like family, and paying homage to owner Daisuke Hiramatsu’s hometown of Kurashiki in Japan. 

    It’s about bonji tettei: “doing small common things thoroughly leads to extraordinary results.” 

    This attention to detail is present throughout a menu that emphasises balance. 

    The dried fish broth (iriko-dashi), produced in Japan according to Hifumiya’s own recipe, balances smoothness and depth. The noodles, handmade in-house, achieve what Mr Hiramatsu calls koshi. He claims this means the perfect balance of chewiness and softness, but according to my experience of Hifumiya’s noodles, something has koshi if you want to fall asleep in a giant bowl of it. 

    I ordered the spicy miso pork udon ($13.80) and the TKG donburi ($3.90), a delightfully oceany little rice bowl. 

    My partner got the beef curry udon ($12.80) and the cold pork kimchi udon special ($13.80). 

    All contained a variety of flavour and colour, allowing for a fresh chopstick-load each time.

    The noodles were the standout, and disappeared comfortably before the broth did, leading to a lot of enthusiastic slurping.  

    Hifumiya
    100-104 Murray St, Perth
    hifumiya.com.au

  • Blown away

    Blown away

    Antonio Traverso

    ARMED with just a handycam and lots of passion, Perth’s Antonio Traverso took to the streets of Santiago to document an art phenomenon born during the riots and civil unrest of the ‘estallido social’.

    Chile has been a democracy since 1990, but the legacy of General Pinochet’s dictatorship looms large, and in 2019 many citizens were still living in poverty and suffering inequality.

    Tensions reached fever pitch that year when people took to the streets of Santiago to protest against the neo-liberal government, sparking riots, marches and demonstrations across the nation.

    Riots

    Traverso arrived in Santiago shortly afterwards to complete a documentary on Chilean cinema, but it was quickly shelved when he explored the tense streets and discovered the fascinating protest art.

    “In addition to the traditional marches with chants, placards and banners, as well as the graffiti with angry cries scribbled on walls, people began to appropriate the public space and turn it into a great, open art gallery, where anyone could display their thoughts, emotions and creativity as they pleased from pieces of paper with poetry stuck on walls to complex installation art and impressively large and detailed, and gorgeously coloured, mural paintings,” he says.

    “People also played music, staged performances, danced and played sports and games on the streets, literally blocking the traffic and occupying roads and highways.”

    Dubbed the ‘estallido social’ (social explosion), the protests sparked a social revolution in Chile that led to changes in the constitution and the formation of a constituent assembly.

    During the making of the documentary The Best Battle, Traverso was inspired by the young Chilean artists he met.

    “I was impressed by the young generations high level of critical and political thinking, their strength and courage, their energy and creativity,” he says.

    “Older people, like myself, felt humbled and inspired by the energy, togetherness, and never-ending flow of ideas, emotions, and beautiful things, spaces and experiences they were constantly creating. 

    “I was impressed by their sense of empowerment, the way in which the occupation of the public space, even though I knew it would only be temporary, opened up truly democratic spaces of dialogue, acceptance, respect and mutual protection.”

    The documentary is a personal affair for Traverso, who was born in Santiago in 1962 and still has family living there.

    In 1987 he immigrated to Perth, where he started a family and studied at Murdoch University.

    Since 2003 he has been lecturing in Screen Studies at Curtin University and has made experimental films and award-winning documentaries.

    Although now and well truly settled in Perth, Traverso will never forget the people he met and the powerful art he saw during the ‘estallido social’.

    “The final scene of my film depicts a massive gathering of people where a carnival of music, percussion, singing and dancing unfolded, where I was filming for hours non-stop, my feeling was of great happiness and I could see the way others around me smiled and laughed; it was like a ritual of coming together that I will never forget,” he says.

    The Best Battle is showing as part of the Revelation Perth International Film Festival at Luna SX in Fremantle and Luna Leederville.

    For screening details go to revelationfilmfest.org

    by STEPHEN POLLOCK

  • Lovely home

    Lovely home

    THE white picket fence outside this cosy Inglewood home is more than a feature – it’s an emblem of the lifestyle it offers. 

    This property is determined to make you feel at ease. You might have to lift a finger to operate the electric front gate, but that’s about it.

    The low-maintenance front yard could be left as is, or there’s space for a small flower bed for those who like to get their hands dirty, and the small porch is perfect to relax with a cold lemonade in summer.

    You’ll have time to sip all kinds of cool beverages, as the house is move-in ready and has been immaculately maintained.

    Inside the brick cottage the jarrah floorboards gleam from the abundance of natural light streaming through the windows, with high ceilings enhancing the sense of space.

    The floor plan is open and inviting, with bifold doors opening onto the garden for summertime merrymaking, and a fireplace where you can cuddle up in winter.

    Situated close to Inglewood Primary School, it is the perfect house for a young family. 

    With less that needs doing, you’ll be able to focus on making memories. 

    The terrazzo-style flooring in the renovated bathroom feels clean and tasteful, and the high domed ceiling has the charming expansiveness of a Turkish bath. 

    The kitchen is impressive, with oodles of cabinet space and stone countertops. It’s open to the rest of the house and the garden, so while hosting a dinner party the chef can actually enjoy it.

    Or you could barbecue in the backyard, where a big grassy space offers lots of soft padding for clumsy young knees. 

    At the rear of the property, an air-conditioned free standing studio is an opportunity for a young professional to balance seclusion and presence.

    Located on a 355sqm block on Tenth Avenue, this two-bedroom one-bathroom home is about 100 metres from Macaulay Park and bus stops, and a short walk from Beaufort Street and the heart of Inglewood. 

    This sweet abode promises the ease and togetherness that lies over the white picket fence. 

    Buyers over $749,000
    163 Tenth Avenue, Inglewood
    ACTON Mt Lawley 9272 2488
    Carlos Lehn 0478 927 017

  • Celsius rising

    Celsius rising

    Celsius’ new building 387 Fitzgerald may rise high above the usual five-storey height limit. Designed with Hillam Architects and Taylor Robinson Chaney.

    A SIXTEEN storey apartment tower has been proposed for the low-lying Fitzgerald Street strip in North Perth, but six historic shops will be demolished if it goes ahead.

    The shops on the Fitzgerald and Alma Streets corner date back to at least 1913 but are not protected by Vincent council’s heritage inventory. They were well known for housing the popular Roman Bakery run by the Tolcon family in the 1950s, and now host a variety of businesses like a nail bar and vacuum centre.

    Future

    Celsius Property Group’s spent a few years buying up the buildings to make way for what they describe as “a visionary development” at 387 Fitzgerald that’ll be “good for the community, great for the future”.

    They’ve predicted the 149 new residents across 99 apartments would generate $6.9 million consumption a year to help stimulate the local economy. 

    But they’ll need leeway from the state government to go higher than Vincent council’s usual five storey limit.

    Not-for-profit Museum of Perth has called for Celsius to retain the historic shopfronts.

    MoP’s executive director Reece Harley says Celsius and its architects ought to “come up with a design that incorporates these six historic shopfronts along Fitzgerald Street into their design – not just their facades – but the shopfronts themselves”.

    He said the tower could be set back from the street, and Celsius could “keep the front sections of the shopfronts to create small commercial tenancies, and design an internal alfresco piazza or laneway. 

    “This kind of thinking is about creating a real sense of place: A mix of heritage and modern design, and retaining that authenticity that can never be replicated.”

    He’s written to the developers with the ideas. 

    We put in a query to Celsius asking if retaining the buildings had been considered during design or if they were still open to it.

    Celsius managing director Richard Pappas says they appreciate community input and they’ve set up a survey on the project’s website to collect comments.

    “We have received lots of really encouraging feedback including a chorus of support for rejuvenation. 

    At this stage some of the more common comments relate to improving the strip, providing better shops, more cafes and bars, housing choice, better parking and traffic management.

    “Following the community consultation we will collate the feedback and review with all stakeholders and intend on then engaging with government on our proposal and the community feedback.”

  • Cooking up harmony

    Cooking up harmony

    THE smell of fried chicken has proved to be too much of a good thing around Lake Street, with residents around the new restaurant 7Grams Chicken calling on Vincent council to help neutralise the odours.

    7Grams cooks well-loved “irresistible Korean fried chicken” but since moving from North Perth to Lake Street about six months back some of their new neighbours reckon the cooking’s too potent. 

    Resident Lynley Coen’s petition says “the emission of odours from the premises to the external environment is offensive and permeates outdoor areas and dwellings and has a detrimental impact on residents’ quality of life.

    Harmonious

    “The signatories appreciate and support the mix of businesses in the area and the intention in raising this issue is not to cause harm to the business but rather to be able to live harmoniously alongside it.”

    Vincent staff told councillors at the June 22 meeting that they’d had complaints for a couple of months and had required the operator install a chimney, stack and ventilation system to comply with national ventilation standards.

    But residents say the system “does not mitigate the emission of nuisance odours” and collected the petition.

    A Vincent officer told councillors “we do have the ability under the health local law to investigate odour nuisances. 

    “There’s quite a small penalty associated with breaches and nuisances that aren’t rectified so we do have further ability to take compliance action”.

    Council staff will investigate and a report on the petition goes back to council next month. 

    by DAVID BELL

  • Cat curfew call

    Cat curfew call

    • A North Perth resident wants a cat curfew to curtail the impact on wildlife and their nuisance value. 

    VINCENT’S cats should be subjected to a curfew, says a North Perth local who’s tired of seeing them stalk the neighbourhood and kill small animals.

    Milly Main has requested Vincent council consider a ban saying “many councils have brought in cat curfews to prevent nuisance cats from wandering at night, disturbing people on their own property and stalking and killing native animals”.

    At nearby Smith’s Lake, dogs must be kept on a leash to prevent them disturbing nesting waterbirds, but a couple of impressively-bellied felines are a frequent sight there after dark.

    Bayswater council, with a variety of waterlands and reserves, has been having similar issues with rampaging cats.

    Resident David Dyke is a champion of native critters and in 2020 won a citizen award for his work cataloguing native frog calls. But his work is hampered by constant cat attacks.

    He recently called on Bayswater council to require cat owners contain their pets on their property, and the council agreed to consider it in reviewing their cat laws this year.

    Ms Main says apart from preying on smaller animals, North Perth’s cats also enjoy noisy fighting and waking up dogs who then wake up babies ‚Äì bad news for their household with a newborn.

    “We are not allowed to let our dog wander onto other people’s property at night and it does not seem right that cats can be allowed to trespass on ours,” Ms Main said.

    Vincent council replied to Ms Main’s missive at the June 22 council meeting, saying a new broad “Animal Local Law” is in the works and “consideration” will be given to a curfew to deal with problem cats.

    That local law’s due to go in front of council in the next couple of months.

    by DAVID BELL

  • Carpark sale off

    Carpark sale off

    The big Beaufort sign will probably be moved when the carpark gets developed. 

    THE controversial sale of a Beaufort Street carpark has been cancelled for now, but Vincent council will remove free one hour parking there to stop bleeding money.

    The council’s been pondering a plan to swap its landlocked portion of the Beaufort/Barlee Street carpark with the private owner Palassis which owns the bit facing Barlee Street. 

    That’d give Vincent a nice road-facing chunk of land at the Barlee corner for public open space, with the street able to be closed off to expand it.

    That swap deal proved hugely tricky and expensive, potentially costing the council $1.9 million in lost land value and park installation, so a market sale was considered instead.

    Councillors have now backed away from selling, with many local businesses objecting to a sale fearing a loss of parking.

    Mayor Emma Cole noted: “It has been costing ratepayers to keep the carpark … upwards of $100,000” each year.

    The council will now remove the first hour free to stop losing so much money, at the suggestion of former councillor Dudley Maier. 

    The carpark’s days are numbered though, with Palassis able to go ahead and develop any time after February 2022 if their lease to council isn’t extended.

    “Regardless of what we do, that will be the trigger point for what happens with this carpark,” Ms Cole says. 

    The iconic Beaufort Street sign will likely have to be moved in the near future given it is “unlikely to be compatible” with the development, the council resolution says, as it encroaches on the private land. 

    For now the council will look into making some pedestrian and cyclist-focused improvements on the strip and trial temporary public spaces in side streets.

    by DAVID BELL

  • Winter lights up

    Winter lights up

    Janet Echelman’s enormous work ‘1.8’ comes to Australia for the first time. Photo by Ema Peter.

    THE city winter festival returns with a newly rebranded “Perth by Light” moniker for 2021, picking up some of the events that had to be skipped due to Covid lingering last year.

    American artist Janet Echelman’s immense sculpture 1.8 will finally be seen in Australia for the first time, after its initial 2020 Downunder debut was cancelled by Corona. 

    Perth council’s brought over the colossal 160 tonne 70m by 58m work which replicates the earthquake that hit Japan in 2011, and it’ll be displayed for free in Supreme Court Gardens June 26 to July 24.

    Another enormous attraction walks the streets for Naidoc Week, with the six metre giant puppet Bindaran celebrating the beginning of Makuru (a wintery Noongar season). She’ll share stories of Boorloo (Perth) and celebrate Noongar women’s connection to country, and she’ll make her way through city streets from July 4 to 10.

    All the dates, times and events are at visitperth.com/perthbylight

  • Waterlands ready to fire up

    Waterlands ready to fire up

    Mayor Dan Bull and councillors launched everything with traditional owners and environmental guru Josh Byrne.

    CONSTRUCTION on the new Maylands Waterland will now begin following a traditional smoking ceremony at the site.

    The ceremony recognised the cultural significance of the area, and was led by Balladong and Whadjuk man Vaughn McGuire.

    His brother Barry McGuire “was instrumental in assisting Josh Byrne and Associates in the detailed design of the site”, Bayswater mayor Dan Bull said.

    The design was inspired by the swan river and local flora and fauna. 

    The $3.5 million first stage of the Waterland redevelopment will have a splash pad, splash pool, creek, play areas and surrounding gear for picnics and barbecues.

    It’s due to be open by December this year.

    Stage two is not yet funded and would need another $3.7m; that’d include the mildly deeper pools the old Waterland had before it was closed due to wear and tear.