This building continued to be used to produce Emu-brand beer until the late 1970s, when production was shifted to a new factory in Canning Vale.

As of January 2025[update], Emu beer continues to be produced as a brand of Swan Brewery owner Lion Nathan.

[1] Preachers from the Temperance League lobbied against the drunkenness prevalent in the colony, however the lack of locally produced beer meant that they focused their attention on spirits drinkers.

[2] Governor James Stirling believed that the construction of a local brewery may reduce the Colony's drunkenness problems by allowing the men to drink beer instead of spirits.

The site was more suitable because it featured a natural spring, there was a sufficient different in elevation to enable the use of gravity in the brewing process without the need for a large tower.

[4] In 1839 Stokes mortgaged the brewery site back to the original owner, Leake, to fund the purchase of the adjacent block.

[6] There, he built himself a house; around this time he also bought the small portion of river frontage immediately in front of the brewery from the government for £13/5s/-.

[7] The Government responded to this by imposing a tax on locally produced spirits as well, leading Stokes to stop Albion's distilling efforts.

[7] The Stanley Brewery opened on 1 November 1848, selling what it described as a "nutritious body ale superior to any imported", costing £4/– per hogshead.

[8] Along with other local businessmen, Stokes successfully lobbied for the transportation of convicts to Western Australia to help alleviate the chronic labour shortage.

In May 1875 George Hamersley applied for a licence to operate the Stanley Brewery and by September 1875 it had been re-equipped and was open for business.

In May 1882 there was a Supreme Court case between John Forrest, who was the husband of George and Hugh's sister, and Harwood concerning a breach of contract in the amount of £160 relating to the lease of the Stanley Brewery which had expired in February 1882.

[17] In 1905 the business re-formed as the Stanley Co-operative Brewery Ltd, and had former politician Michael O'Connor as chairman of its board of directors.

[16] Also, between 1936 and 1938, a new brewery building designed by Perth architectural firm Oldham, Boas and Ednie-Brown was constructed on the site.

[5] A border frieze at the top of three of the building's sides depicting different stages in the brewing process was designed by John Oldham and executed by sculptor Edward F.