Published on Friday, 10 January 2025 at 12:59:23 PM
Hey, Hey it’s #TimeWarpTuesday! This week we bring to you the next part of our mini-series on heritage places from the Town’s Municipal Heritage Inventory published in June 2000.
Heritage Places - Part Two
“Curtin University
“The Western Australian Institute of Technology first accepted students in 1965 but the main campus was not opened until 1967. Enrolment for the first years was 2000 students. In 1969 three institutions merged with WAIT, namely the Western Australian School of Mines, Muresk Agricultural College and Schools of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy. WAIT grew rapidly and by 1976 10,000 students were enrolled. WAIT became a ‘substantial presence’ in Western Australian Tertiary Education. Its Business School was the largest in Australia.
“Controversy arose in the 1980s with the move to ‘upgrade’ WAIT to a university. The name Curtin, however, was well accepted, with John Curtin being a strong figure in Federal Politics. Representing WA, Curtin rose to Prime Minister, leading Australia through the war years between 1942-45.
“Curtin University was formally opened in 1986. Since its inception the University has become noted for its research and development, ties with Technology Park and the education provided for overseas students. In fact, as WAIT, the institution became the first to accept full fee paying overseas students (1977/78), a move way ahead of National education procedures of the time.
“In 1997, 24,000 students were enrolled in a large variety of courses which included art, design, social work, library science, social sciences, literature, teacher education, engineering, computing, architecture and pharmacy, among others.
“Description
“Curtin University, originally known as the West Australian Institute of Technology, began in the late 1960s on the site of an old pine plantation.
“Original buildings such as the Architecture Building, the Robertson Library, the Physics Building and the somewhat later, Social Science Building, are all examples of the ‘Late Twentieth Century Brutalist’ period. They are all large rather overpowering buildings, the first three constructed externally and internally from grey off-form concrete with contrasting red face brick panels. The Social Science Building has pre-cast cream concrete panels with a rough ribbed profile.
“Other early buildings such as the Guild Building, designed by Architect R J *Gus) Ferguson, were by contrast, domestic in scale and materials, with jarrah timber windows and doors, red brick walls and terracotta tiled roofs. These buildings were, however, quite institutional and repetitive in an overall sense.
“More recent buildings such as the beautifully detailed and articulated Aboriginal Studies Building bring a certain warmth and humanity. Which may have been lacking in the past, to the campus.” (1)
Call to Action
Has this story inspired you? Would you like to help us capture the history of our Town? Then you might like to make a submission to the 2025 Local History Awards (https://www.victoriaparklibrary.wa.gov.au/local-history/local-history-awards). Even if you just have one old photograph of a place, event or thing in the Town’s long history, we’d love to see it. Please put your thinking cap on, get out your camera, talk to your relatives and neighbours and get documenting and researching. Your entry could win you a prize too, but you will be arguably winning the greater prize of knowing you have helped both present and future generations understand their community better.
#LoveVicPark
References:
- Heritage Today 2000, ‘Town of Victoria Park Local Heritage Inventory, Heritage Today, Mount Lawley.
PH00242-01 The Robertson Library Building, Curtin University
Photographed by Heritage Today circa 1996-2000 for the Town of Victoria Park Municipal Heritage Inventory, published June 2000.
Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00242-02 The Engineering and Surveying Building, Curtin University
Photographed by Heritage Today circa 1996-2000 for the Town of Victoria Park Municipal Heritage Inventory, published June 2000.
Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
PH00242-03 The Aboriginal Studies Building, Curtin University
Photographed by Heritage Today circa 1996-2000 for the Town of Victoria Park Municipal Heritage Inventory, published June 2000.
Local History Collection, Town of Victoria Park Library Service.
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