The Bell Tower, Perth (must see)

Designed by Hames Sharley, the Bell Tower rises about 271 feet and opened in 2000 as Western Australia’s millennium project. Its copper-and-glass form was built specifically to house the Swan Bells, whose combined weight is about nine tonnes. Standing beside the Swan River at Barrack Square, the tower was created as a working musical instrument for the city.

The bells give the tower its real historical weight. Twelve of them came from Saint Martin-in-the-Fields in London’s Trafalgar Square, where bells had rung for centuries as part of English church and civic life. They were gifted to Western Australia as part of Australia’s 1988 bicentenary celebrations. Six additional bells were cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, using metals mined in Western Australia. Together, they form a set of 18 bells, regarded as one of the world’s largest change-ringing instruments.

Their purpose is to continue the tradition of change ringing, a highly structured form of bell-ringing in which bells are rung in shifting sequences rather than melodies. In practical terms, the bells are used for demonstrations, training, special occasions, commemorations, and public performances. They also give Perth a ceremonial soundmark: a distinctive voice that can mark civic moments, celebrations, and remembrance events along the riverfront.

The tower was carefully engineered for sound as well as appearance. Its six-story bell chamber was built in reinforced concrete to withstand the movement and force of the bells, while soundproof louvres and doors help control the direction and volume of the chimes. Inside, visitors can learn about the bells, watch ringing demonstrations when available, and head up to the observation deck for 360-degree views of the Swan River, Elizabeth Quay, Barrack Street Jetty, and the Perth skyline.