Perth Waterfront Development

Perth. 07 March 2012. [edited 21 December 2016].

Yes, it's a nice patch of grass... but...

Much has been planned for the Perth Waterfront Development. Much has been planned, discarded, debated, planned and discarded again. Now it is happening.

Some see the patch of grass between the bell tower and the train station 'Perth's front yard', a welcome to Perth. As I remember my last welcome to Perth after being away for years I left the airport via hire car, crossed the causeway and drove down St Georges' Terrace. Had I instead driven down Riverside Drive I would have passed vast areas of grass before arriving at the bell tower and train station to be greeted by, you guessed it, more grass.

A couple of years ago I took my nieces and nephew to the zoo via the train station and ferry. Crossing between the two we passed the empty grassy area and moved back into a populated area at the Ferris wheel. Yay, something was happening. Too bad the Ferris wheel couldn't stay but as the area was slated to be developed into something more than a cheap way to stop the dirt blowing around it had to go.

It's now underway. Yay, things are happening. Some parties seem a bit miffed that we're told it's happening. Tough. Things are happening.

Would I like an apartment in the southern tower by the river? Yes, very much. [2015-04-11]

Walking the bridges on the weekend the changes to the area are becoming obvious. New curbing and footpaths going in along The Esplanade. All very nice and pretty. I was hoping for a wider footpath, but it's not finished so it's too early to complain.

From the air the edge of the quay is very obvious and shows the work far further along than is visible from the ground.

Looking forward to the next batch of work to become complete so the footpath from the Narrows Bridge through to William St and the Esplanade can reopen, scheduled for June 2015. [2015-05-19]

Walked the bridges. The 20-minute detour is still in place. Originally marked as March - June, then March - August, now March - September. [2015-09-18].

Walked the bridges, visited Elizabeth Quay for the first time. A building site around the edges but a lot nicer. A lot of concrete and little shade. [2016-11-18].