The central business district of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, has numerous lanes, arcades and pedestrian malls.
[1] The first plan of Perth, developed in 1829 by the Surveyor-General, John Septimus Roe, was a semi-regular grid pattern bounded by Mount Eliza to the west, wetlands to the north, with three principal streets running parallel to the Swan River and three streets running north-south.
Banks, insurance buildings, professional and commercial offices were constructed at St Georges Terrace, along with businesses, shops and warehouses developed in Wellington, Murray and Hay Streets.
A number of hotels and theatres were also built in this central area and large department stores, such as Foy & Gibson and Sandover established along the tram route and the shopping strip along Hay Street.
Shopping arcades and passageways were also developed in this period, allowing people to move with ease through the increasingly busy Perth streets and providing spaces for additional commercial premises outlets within the narrow blocks.