Bennett house: Aboriginal heritage as real estate in East Perth

Abstract

As the mansions materialised in refurbished East Perth on the Swan River, a battle between the East Perth Redevelopment Authority and Perth's indigenous community over a land swap culminated in demolition of a heritage building significant to the Stolen Generations. This case study unravels the complex relations and practices underpinning Bennett House's demolition, resonant of other planning decisions involving Aboriginal sites in Western Australia.