Centenary of Western Australia

A variety of events were run in Perth, regional areas throughout the state, and even across Australia such as the Western Australian Centenary Air Race.

[1] In 1926, the 25th anniversary of federation passed without much recognition, due in part to the sense of isolation that help to form Western Australia's identity.

There was limited acknowledgement from the other states of the unique circumstances of Western Australia's situation, due to what historian Geoffrey Blainey described as "the tyranny of distance".

[2][3] In 1927, the premier, Philip Collier, asked Hal Colebatch to write a history of the state, and in 1929 A Story of a hundred years : Western Australia, 1829–1929 was published.

Additionally some towns and community organisations also renamed existing local features like parks and buildings, while others set aside an area for a monument which was then unveiled in the presence of dignitaries including the Governor, Premier and descendants of the early settlers.

[12] The Governor Sir William Campion presided at the placement of a plaque in the wall of the Perth Town Hall on Barrack Street that recorded the centenary celebrations in August.

Western Australian historian Geoffrey Bolton ties in the events and the subsequent difficult times due to the economic depression in his book A Fine Country to Starve in (1972).

In 1929 the Western Mail published a Centenary Issue "2029 Perth", which included a 1929 artist's conception of what Perth would look like in 2029.
Centenary pavilion at Claremont Showground
Crowd watching Sir William Campion at celebrations in August 1929, the placing of the Centenary plaque in the wall of the Perth Town Hall
Perth Town Hall Centenary plaque
The centenary plaque on Chippers Leap
Centenary Hill plaque detail