Annie Whistler DORRINGTON
1866 - 1926
(Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, WA)

Born at Winkfield Windsor England in 1866, Annie Whistler arrived in Melbourne with her family in 1890, married Charles Dorrington and later Settled in Western Australia in 1895.

In 1901 the year of federation, Annie Dorrington shared first prize of two hundred pounds with four others, in the international competition for the design of our Australian national flag.

She was a prolific painter of Western Australian wildflowers. Fifty of her works were displayed in London in the Franco-British exhibition of 1908, with the intention of promoting Australia. A collection of 124 of her paintings are held by the art gallery of Western Australia. She died at Perth in 1926 and is remembered for her significant contribution to Australia's heritage.

May She Rest in Peace

Erected in 1999 by the state branches of the
Australian National Flag Association and her relatives.
 

Pensioner Guard Barracks
St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA

The Barracks (1975) - Construction began on the barracks in 1863 to accommodate soldiers of the enrolled pensioner force and their families. This is a fine example of Gothic architecture with a Tudor influence, the roof was originally flanked by casuarina shingles, the architect was Richard Roache Jewell. The main structure was demolished in 1966 leaving the remaining central archway.

The plaque reads

The Barracks Arch is all that remains of a much larger building with wings extending to either side of the arch, comprising 120 rooms. The pensioner guards were professional soldiers, veterans of such wars as Crimean and the Indian Mutiny, honourably discharged from the British Army and sent to Western Australia to guard the convicts transported here between 1850 and 1868.
The Barracks were built to house the Guards and their families in 1863, when convicts were sent to work on many of Perth's public buildings. Since many convicts had received long sentences, the Pensioner Guards remained active long after transportation ceased. They were eventually disbanded in 1878, while many retired to farming lots, granted in return for their service, many stayed on at the Barracks until 1904.
In 1966 the wings of the Barracks were demolished to make way for the Mitchell Freeway and to clear the Vista of St Georges Terrace for the recently completed Parliament House. Only vigorous public protest saved the arch from the same fate.

see also Pensioner Guard Memorial & Ruins
 

Swan Bells
Riverside Drive, Perth WA

Swan Bells bell tower features an impressive 82 metre glass and steel spire wrapped in giant copper sails to represent the maritime history of the Swan River. Inside the tower 18 bells are mounted high in the bell chamber. This includes 12 bells of St Martin-in-the-Fields which were known to be in existence from before the 14th century. The bells have been recast on numerous occasions, 16th century by Queen Elizabeth I, and also between 1725 and 1770 at the order of the Prince of Wales (Later crowned King George II). The bells were presented to WA in commemoration of Australia's bicentenary. The pavement surrounding the bell tower carries the signatures of West Australian school children from the class of 2000.