Threat to Dave's childhood home 10/11/07 Claremont Post

[Mark_from_Perth]

And another post...
I put this story up on a Perth music forum. Not a great deal of interest...though Rachael from Schvendes spotted it and has let me know shes has notfied ArtsWA (WA Government body for funding and developing the arts) and more importantly the Arts Minister Sheila McHale. Ms McHale is very pro WA music, gets involved with WAM and is behind funding for pubs to reduce noise emmisions. Hopefuly she talks to her colleague the Heritage Minsiter.

...and Mr Creasey is an arrogant man from what I've seen of him (I don't know him). A prospector who struck it lucky, but has had many a public fight with others over disputed claims etc

[Urpal]

That's great, Mark.

The aerial photo suggests the house is in a spectacular location. If you can get a look at the place, some pics, whatever, that would be great.

Would the Shire Of Peppermint Grove (what's that all about? It's a very quaint title for what I assume to be a local authority), the Heritage Council and the Heritage Minister have e-mail addresses should people wish to make representations about the preservation of the house?

[jimjamtwo]

By the way Peppermint Grove is Perth's most exclusive/expensive suburb. Hence all the fuss about a delapidated old building in such a neighbourhood....

Hence the million dollar-plus offer in the 80s.

Hence the almost impossible odds of saving the place.

[Mark_from_Perth]

Would the Shire Of Peppermint Grove (what's that all about? It's a very quaint title for what I assume to be a local authority), the Heritage Council and the Heritage Minister have e-mail addresses should people wish to make representations about the preservation of the house?

Indeed they do

Heritage Minister - Michelle Roberts michelle-roberts@dpc.wa.gov.au
http://www.ministers.wa.gov.au/roberts/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.contact

Heritage Council of Western Australia - heritage@hc.wa.gov.au
http://www.heritage.wa.gov.au/

Shire of Peppermint Grove - ceo@peppermintgrove.wa.gov.au
http://www.peppermintgrove.wa.gov.au/

[Urpal]

this internet thing is really quite good for this sort of stuff isn't it

It certainly is and the even the good shiresmen and shireswomen of Peppermint Grove have a website serving the international community:

http://www.peppermintgrove.wa.gov.au/

Under the history section of the council it states this:

The Shire’s Chief Executive Officer is readily accessible, and there is a marked absence of unnecessary bureaucracy.

The Council recognises that a key objective of residents is to maintain the unique character of Peppermint Grove, and its policies and decisions are formulated to that end.

Many of the Council’s strategies and initiatives are specifically directed at helping to preserve, maintain and enhance the ambience of Peppermint Grove.

It might be appropriate to diplomatically suggest that they put their money where their mouth is in this specific context. Maintain and preserve, maintain and preserve.....

[jimjamtwo]

Good point, Urpal.

OT - simply because due to this thread I used Google Maps for the first time - here are a few Sydney locations of possible interest to Triffids fans:

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=lawson+square+redfern&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=39.110235,57.216797&ie=UTF8&ll=-33.891525,151.200221&spn=0.008906,0.013969&z=16&om=1

(1) Lawson Square
(2) Lawson St. (house on the cover of Raining Pleasure just next to the railway station)
(3) Abercrombie St. (house where I was living when I first met Dave and Alsy and where I wrote the music for Mercy)
(4) Lander St. (house where Dave was living until he and Alsy moved to Marlborough St.)
(5) Prince Alfred Park (park I used to cross coming back from Triffids gigs at the Southern Cross and where I made up When My Heart Breaks)
(6) Shepherd St (house where I was staying when Jonathan Lickliter told me about the Triffids)

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=marlborough+st+surry+hills&sll=-33.891525,151.200221&sspn=0.004453,0.006984&ie=UTF8&ll=-33.889067,151.211786&spn=0.008906,0.013969&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1

(1) Marlborough St. (where Dave, Alsy and Jill lived from making of Spanish Blue single through to TP and Beautiful Waste single)
(2) Ward Park (where Dave first told me about The Smiths!)
(3) Devonshire St (location of the Southern Cross/Strawberry Hills Hotel)
(4) Cleveland St (shopping centre where I first met Dave and Alsy)

All heritage sites worth saving IMHO!
 

[Mark_from_Perth]

OK, well I got kind of conned into going to the beach today after my son (Nick)and I attended our rocket club's AGM and end-of-year barbeque. It wasn't ideal beach weather, but I went in anyway. Ended up having a splash with Nick anyway.

So afterwards I suggested going past the McComb house, which Nick was happy about (at 11 he's a bit of a DMC fan!)
So here you are, photos from this afternoon...

Walking up the road towards the house





arriving at the gates




(Nick wants to climb over and check the place out...and I tell him no...)

So looking east towards the river







You can imagine what a (2-storey) house on the location of "The Cliffe" might be worth with those river views in the most expensive suburb in Perth! No wonder he wants to bulldoze it...

[jimjamtwo]

Great photos there, Mark! Is your son musically inclined? If so, it would be very interesting to find out what kind of music would come from someone who's grown up with Triffids music from an early age.

[Jonathan Alley]

 
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24533559-5006789,00.html

[Urpal]

Bad but inevitable news. Let's hope the relocation happens. If not perhaps someone should get in there with the demolition contractor and we can spread it around a bit and all keep a plank.

[mark t]

Partial relocation - a pathetic compromise, really, but yeah - better than nothing. I'm thinking the demolisher will make a bucketloads out of all that vintage Jarrah. Not that I've done anything to help - but I doubt those western cowboys would take too kindly to being told what to do by some east coast wanker!

[geoffm]

we have a thing up here with keeping the facades of old buildings whilst letting developers destroy the rest.The building next door to me in the city consisted of a hole in the ground with an old warehouse facade propped in front of it for the last 10 years.A building has just been constructed behind it.Doesn`t actually look too bad but its a piss poor substitute for retaining your heritage.
Similar situation to the Cliffe going on out in the western suburbs  at present.The heritage laws have been changed  to require a buyer of a heritage listed property to maintain it.Haven`t looked at the legislation but if it holds it will go a long way to stopping this sort of blatent opportunism.Sadly we`re a long way from Perth-at least in kilometres

[Max Dembo]

Thankyou for the photos of The Cliffe (Mark from Perth). It is
such a sad situation that something so beautiful should be at

[Gazza]

Max Dembo, eh? That one's nearly as good as the Typhoid Mary reference, Will.

Never got round to the film but No Beast So Fierce was a decent read.

[geoffm]

your far too good at this Gazza