Sensational Subiaco

LOCALS KNOW WHY SUBI IS SO SPECIAL - AND HERE, SOME OF OUR LEADING LIGHTS SHARE THE REASONS THEY LOVE TO CALL THIS SPECIAL SUBURB HOME.

BY Gail Williams

IF WILLIE SHAKESPEARE had lived in Subiaco we can only imagine his bounteous odes to our beautiful suburb. Would he have lost count of the ways comparing it to a summer’s day?

Would he have set balcony scenes on the top of the Subi Hotel?

Would he have Hamlet soliloquising in the theatre gardens?

Dedicated Subi residents already know what’s to love, and many want to keep that a secret.

But there are some high-profile residents in fields that Subi is wellknown for who agreed to share their thoughts.

There was one proviso they all said though: “please don’t tell too many people.” Oops.

LINDY ROSENWAX

Donations Coordinator, Bindaring

Clothing Sale, Perth’s original fashion event

“I have lived in Subi for the past 21 years and am currently on China Green. It’s great to be within walking distance to everything and be able to catch the train to the city. I have a long background in fashion, as a footwear buyer for Ahern’s, buyer for David Jones and Daimaru, Oroton and owning my own boutique.

“For me, one word – fashion –encompasses design, architecture, clothing, art, food, wine and the home. Subi has it all. I initially chose Subiaco because I loved the village vibe of being close to everything — the train, neighbours and unique and individual small businesses.

I’m now delighted, once again, to shop locally for a diverse range of products and services with new openings and old favourites.

My favourites are: Hair: Headstrong on Hay Street, clothing alterations store Be Loved on Rokeby Road, Hidden Lace, Farmer

Jack's, Growers Lane, Cherubino City Wine Cellar, Simon Johnson's Providore, Layers Bakery, The Wholefood Circus and Unicorn Bar on Nicholson Road, Lums Wine Bar, Elle Design Rugs and Jackson's for my art supplies.

“For amazing pizza, Delisio, Flannel Boutique, Lucia Boutique on Rokeby for fashion, Hobbs for great shoes and a wonderful supporter of Bindaring, B-store, Marie Claire Shoes, Table Culture, Dallimore Homewares, the friendly laundromat on Nicholson, and of course the Subiaco Farmer’s Markets.”

NICKI WILLIAMS

Spyn Public Relations Specialists. Having worked all over the world, Nicki is proud to call Subiaco home and says her seven years here have been her most comfortable yet. A discerning food lover, she is in her happy place discovering her suburb’s diverse foodie outlets.

Why Subi?

Why? That’s easy! It’s within a 10 minute drive of the river, the city and the beach. I love being able to walk through the council gardens to a diverse range of dining options or watering holes.

What makes Subiaco interesting?

Subiaco represents a juxtaposition of heritage and hip – the historic buildings that tell amazing stories set right next door to an eclectic mix of exciting new bars and restaurants. Especially right now – the suburb feels like it’s on the precipice of something very exciting with the impending influx of over 500 new residents into One Subiaco and the residential plans for Subi East.

Standout food places?

How can I choose? There are so many options. A favourite for meand almost weekly haunt - would be Cherubino City Cellar. The staff always make you feel welcome – it’s my 'Cheers' bar. You can always find someone you know there and feel right at home. For good pub grub, you can’t go past the Subi Hotel and the lamb shoulder at Dilly Dally

It’s totally worth the wait, but bring friends to share it with. And I love having Piccolo Trattoria right on the doorstep. It makes me feel like a tiny bit of Italy has been transported to Rokeby Road.

Deli and produce?

Hands down, the produce at Golden Choice. It’s always packed, and shoppers politely manoeuvre their way around each other, sampling the produce and filling their baskets with those hard-to-find Asian ingredients and Boatshed-quality produce at farmer’s market prices. And you can’t visit Subi without spending time at Simon Johnson’s cheese room. The Délice de Bourgogne is next level. Actually – why am I revealing this? It’s already hard enough to get and often sells out as soon as it hits the store.

MICHAEL McCALL

The Subi arts community is over the moon to have had Michael McCall in its midst for the past 10 years. The WAAPA graduate is the Course Coordinator of Communications and Media at the University of Notre Dame, tutors at Bell Shakespeare and the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and lectures in film and theatre at Curtin University.

What brought you to Subi?

A friend of mine lived in the heritage precinct and I was always visiting. When she moved out, I moved in. I was drawn to the area by the fact I can live in a quiet, tree-lined street, then one street over, I can be immersed in all the great amenties Subi has on offer. Over the 10 years I’ve lived here, I’ve become aware of the fantastic community that exists all around me too. First names are par for the course, while picking up a morning coffee or popping in for a sumptuous wine at the many fine bars throughout the suburb.

Why is Subi a drawcard for people interested in the arts?

Lots of artists work in and are from Subiaco. For me, and many of my colleagues, the area is central to the kind of places we work and study. For example, reflecting on my own experiences: WAAPA (I completed a PhD there in 2018 and regularly direct and teach for them); a quick walk to The Regal (I recently directed The Addams Family Musical there in 2021 and 2022); universities and TAFE (I was the head of Notre Dame’s theatre and film course for eight years, have taught film directing at North Metro TAFE); along with a variety of other stage and screen projects and acting gigs. A lot of the time I find myself doing work at the Subiaco Arts Centre too. It’s where I can reflect and write from, perhaps do some academic research - it’s also near Kings Park, so if I need to clear my head, another walk around the corner and I find acres of bushland to explore. Subiaco has been great for that mix, and I know I’m not alone in having that experience.

Favourite haunts in Subiaco? There are many, but close to my heart would be my regular coffee spot, Cafe Melograno, where the staff really look after me. Juanita’s, where the wine and fine foods are magnificent, only matched by the great service. The Regal feels like a kind of spiritual home for me and I love working there as a director or attending as an audience member. Every few months, I like to go for a wander in Subiaco, as it’s always changing, but the more it changes, the more it stays the same too.

If Subiaco were a great work of art, what would it be?

An Edward Hopper painting, like Nighthawks. Subiaco has a wonderfully kitsch aspect while retaining it’s beautifully-rendered history that the City has accentuated in recent years. Like Hopper’s art, Subiaco has the amazing capacity to elevate seemingly everyday street scenes into poignant memories. Subiaco is a timeless, transcendent symbol of all walks of life coming together to share the best parts of the human experience. Why would you want to live anywhere else?

MATTHEW DAVIS Partner, Klopper & Davis Architects

Klopper and David is an awardwinning boutique architectural design studio which lists some of Subiaco’s finest building in its portfolio.

How long have you lived here?

I’ve lived in Subiaco for 19 years. My wife, Fiona, and I bought our first home here 19 years ago.

What are your favourite buildings and why?

There are many fine examples of architecture in Subiaco - lovely turn-of-the-century buildings along with meaningful and important mid-century civic buildings like the council chambers, the Evelyn H Parker Library, and the Subiaco Arts Centre. The contemporary buildings and the modern repurposing of existing buildings add another layer.

Architecturally, what makes Subi so appealing?

The successful mix of old and new. There is no better example than Rokeby Road, with two-storey turn-of-the-century buildings, inter war, mid-century, 80s commercial, modern fitouts and contemporary buildings all co-existing to provide a diverse and eclectic mix of architectural interest.

What are your feelings on preserving heritage?

This is an interesting question. What is heritage? It means different things to different people. I think if it is an important architectural example, it is worthy of preservation, irrespective of when it was built. Redb rick facades and pitched zincalume roofs might be what people like to look at and it may provide them some comfort, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is ‘heritage’. We need to remember that Perth, as westerners know it, is less than 200 years old and, therefore, so is the predominant building fabric which was replicated from England along the rail line from Midland to Fremantle. It therefore, needs to be adaptable so it can be meaningfully repurposed to meet current living and commercial needs. We need to carve out space for modern examples of what can, hopefully, be classics in the future.

Absolutely! Thankfully Subiaco’s planning framework encourages this and discourages replication or mimicry. That is the most appropriate way to respect and celebrate existing built form or heritage and encourage good quality, well-designed, modern architecture.

I am particularly fond of mid-century modern that is the era we started to think for ourselves architecturally and began to consider such things as orientation, and natural light and breezes. This is also the period that produced the City council chambers, the Evelyn H Parker Library, and the Subiaco Arts Centre Building. I am also fond of the four townhouses known as Park Terrace on the corner of Townshend Road and Park Street, Subiaco, which have recently been faithfully restored.

KitchenSloane's

WITH | Sloane Carvell RECIPE IMAGES | Craig Kinder