City hotel fails list bid

Rockingham District Historical Society is concerned one of the area’s most important historical buildings may be lost if the State Government does not give it a permanent heritage listing.

Society spokeswoman Wendy Durant said the WA Heritage Council had informed the group that its recommendation the Rockingham Hotel be placed on the State’s permanent heritage list had been rejected by Heritage Minister John Castrilli.

Ms Durant said the society had asked why the hotel had not been listed, but as yet had not received an explanation.

However, she said, the hotel would remain on Rockingham City Council’s municipal heritage inventory with a category A rating, giving it some protection.

She said the hotel was built as the Port Hotel by James Bell in the 1880s, before he sold it to his brother-in-law Daniel Hymus in 1886, and it was Mr Hymus who built the stone footage on Kent Street still seen today.

‘‘It was built to service the Rockingham port, which was the biggest export port on the coast of Western Australia at that time, shipping jarrah all over the world,’’ she said.

‘‘At the closure of the port in 1908, the Rockingham Hotel became a major tourism destination for West Australians and visitors from overseas, with beautiful gardens, birds, ponds, and black and white swans.

She said throughout Rockingham’s history the hotel had been the most recognised building in the area and the society hoped it would remain that way.

‘‘Rockingham has very little left of the buildings which played a significant roles in the area’s history.

‘‘It is important to our State and Rockingham in particular that we recognise the city also has roots that need to be nurtured and protected.’’

The hotel’s owner, Peter Mirco, said he had not been notified yet about any decision by Mr Castrilli.