The old limestone quarry was first excavated in 1834, with the material being used for construction and lime-burning. Stone from the quarry was used in the construction of some of Perth's earliest buildings, including the foundations of the Perth Town Hall.
At the height of the limestone kiln’s operations, more than 50 men worked at the site. The last lime kiln was built in 1897 and quarrying ceased at the site in 1906. In 1917 the land was sold to the Perth City Council.
Diana Waldron, the then director of the Perth City Ballet Company, first conceived of converting the quarry into an amphitheatre in the early 1980s. After securing funding support from the Commonwealth Government, the WA Lotteries Commission and the former City of Perth, the Quarry Amphitheatre was officially opened on 9 November, 1986. Set in natural bushland, the amphitheatre has a capacity of 556.
"The City Beach Quarry Amphitheatre is a well known and treasured entertainment venue,” the Western Australian Government’s heritage minister David Templeman said. "The outdoor bushland setting makes it a unique and picturesque venue, which has hosted countless events, weddings and concerts. The Perth City Ballet has performed at the amphitheatre for over 30 years.
"I am thrilled to add the Quarry Amphitheatre to the State Register to recognise the importance of this unique place to the Western Australian community."
More reading:
Limestone quarry’s second life
Quarries on points in WA, on song in Queensland
Historic site to become ‘walkable’ suburb
Scratching the surface of legacy sites
Bruce Harvey: Quarry repurposing and regeneration