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| Hay Street Mall | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hay Street Mall |
| Location | Perth, Western Australia |
| Type | Pedestrian mall |
| Opened | 1970s |
| Developer | City of Perth |
| Surface | Paving and landscaping |
| Notable | Statue of Alexander Forrest, historic arcades |
Hay Street Mall Hay Street Mall is a pedestrianised shopping precinct in the central business district of Perth, Western Australia, located between St Georges Terrace and William Street. The mall connects major thoroughfares such as Murray Street and Wellington Street and sits near landmarks including the Perth Town Hall, the Perth Railway Station, the Perth Cultural Centre and Forrest Chase. It functions as a retail spine within the Perth CBD, interfacing with transport hubs like Perth Busport and Perth Arena while abutting civic institutions such as the State Library of Western Australia and the Perth Concert Hall.
The mall's formation followed urban planning initiatives by the City of Perth and municipal authorities in the 1970s, influenced by pedestrianisation movements seen in Covent Garden, Bucharest, Strøget and Nicosia. Early redevelopment incorporated surviving Victorian and Federation-era buildings similar to renovation projects at Flinders Street Station and Queen Victoria Building, driven by economic shifts from the Great Depression era retail patterns and post-war modernization schemes parallel to those in Melbourne and Adelaide. Notable historical events include street-level protests and civic rallies comparable to demonstrations at Trafalgar Square and Martin Place and commercial reorganizations mirroring changes at Oxford Street and Grafton Street. Conservation battles involved heritage bodies like the National Trust of Australia (WA) and planning reviews by the Western Australian Planning Commission and sparked debates akin to those around Sydney Town Hall redevelopment.
Architectural character along the mall juxtaposes preserved façades reminiscent of Perth Town Hall and His Majesty's Theatre with modernist insertions influenced by architects associated with Harry Seidler and practices active in Brisbane and Fremantle. The paving, lighting and street furniture draw on urban design principles promoted by the Australian Institute of Architects and international precedents at sites such as Piazza del Duomo, The Mall (London) and Rodeo Drive. Arcade connections mirror typologies found at London Arcade (Perth), Hay Street Arcade and other covered passages like Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, integrating glazing, cast-ironwork and masonry conservation overseen by heritage officers from the Heritage Council of Western Australia. Landscaping schemes reference work by landscape architects linked to projects at Kings Park and Elizabeth Quay.
Retail composition includes national chains and independent retailers similar to tenants found on Bourke Street Mall, Queen Street Mall (Brisbane), and Rundle Mall. Department store presences have historically resembled operations by firms akin to David Jones and Myer while specialty retailers include boutique fashion outlets comparable to those on Oxford Street and Collins Street. Food and beverage operators line the mall in patterns seen at Eaton Centre and Pike Place Market, and tenancy turnover has been shaped by market forces that affected centres such as Westfield complexes and suburban precincts like Joondalup. Leasing strategies coordinated by property managers echo approaches used by Vicinity Centres and Lendlease in urban retail revitalisation.
Public artworks and monuments incorporate sculptural works similar in civic function to the Kings Park War Memorial, the Statue of John Forrest and the ANZAC Memorial. The mall hosts commissions by artists whose careers intersect with public programs run by institutions such as the Art Gallery of Western Australia and cultural initiatives comparable to Perth Festival public art trails. Plaques, bas-reliefs and installations reference local figures paralleled by commemorations found at St Georges Terrace and Forrest Place, and curation has involved collaboration with the City of Perth Public Art Committee and cultural organisations like Perth International Arts Festival.
Hay Street Mall serves as a venue for street performances, markets and civic ceremonies akin to events at Federation Square, Martin Place and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation-supported public programs. Seasonal markets mirror operations at Eumundi Market and pop-up activations resemble those staged near Elizabeth Quay and Cultural Centre (Perth). Community festivals, protests and rallies here have historic parallels with gatherings at Kings Park and national events such as Australia Day commemorations and charity events linked to organisations like RSPCA and St Vincent de Paul Society.
The mall interfaces with major transit infrastructures including Perth railway station, Perth Busport and the Perth Underground links, echoing multimodal connectivity strategies used at Flinders Street Station and Central Station (Sydney). Cycleways and pedestrian priority zones reflect policy frameworks promoted by the Department of Transport (Western Australia) and accessibility standards comparable to those advocated by Accessible Australia. Wayfinding and integrated ticketing consider systems like the Transperth network and station precinct planning practices similar to those at Northbridge and Subiaco.
Conservation measures and redevelopment proposals have involved stakeholders including the Heritage Council of Western Australia, the City of Perth and private developers resembling entities such as Lendlease and Dexus. Policy instruments invoked include planning schemes similar to the Metropolitan Region Scheme and heritage listing processes used for sites like Pioneer Women's Memorial. Redevelopment scenarios have been debated in contexts analogous to the rejuvenation of Elizabeth Quay and the urban renewal of Northbridge, balancing commercial imperatives with protections advocated by organisations including the National Trust of Australia (WA) and cultural agencies such as the Western Australian Museum.