Swan Bells
The Swan Bells are housed in a carillon situated on the shores of the Swan River beside the Barrack Street jetties. Said to be WA's most visited tourist attraction, the Bell Tower includes twelve bells of Britain's St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square, London; six others, cast in recent times by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, round off the set. The additional bells were cast with a subsequent donation of metals mined in Western Australia. The six newer bells include five that were presented to the University of Western Australia, the City of Perth and to the people of Western Australia by the City of London, the City of Westminster and a consortium of British and Australian mining companies, and one bell commissioned by the Western Australian Government.
The twelve St Martin-in-the-Fields bells are recorded as being in existence from before the 14th century and recast in the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth I. The bells were again recast between 1725 and 1770 and are today one of the few surviving sets of royal bells and the only ones known to have left England. One of the largest musical instruments in the world, these ancient bells were rung to signal the end of the Battle of Trafalgar, again at Lord Nelson s funeral, and to welcome back Lieut. James Cook after charting the east coast of Australia.
Photo: Tourism Western Australia
The odd-looking tower, which has the appearance of a giant sprouting plant, is open for inspection, including during bell-ringing demonstrations. It has a viewing platform offering views of the city and river. The A$5.5 million building was erected to commemorate the new millennium, but it received much criticism from locals who opposed it, calling it a wasteful expenditure. It remains WA's only 'icon' millennium project that was completed on time, and on budget.
The tower was designed by the local architects Hames Sharley. The 18 bells have a combined weight of about nine tonnes and, when rung, exert considerable forces on the support structure. To achieve the required stiffness, the six-story bell chamber was made with reinforced concrete cast in situ. The bell chamber was designed by the structural engineering firm Arup. Soundproof louvres and doors are used to muffle the sound or direct the noise towards the city or the river as required. The glass-clad spire is designed using spokes which radiate horizontally from a centrally positioned axle, declining in width as it rises to a point. The solid-steel columns of the spire are rectangular and the concrete bell chamber is enveloped in 30 metres (98 ft)-high copper sails and glass.
The redeveloped Barrack Square along Barrack Street precinct, which surrounds the tower, includes reflection pools as well as cafes, restaurants, shops and cycling and walking paths. Contact: (08) 9218 8183. Entry fees apply. Location: Barrack Street Jetty, Perth.
