Enhanced experience for visitors to The Perth Mint

Aug 31, 2021

Jewellery shop floor

A plan to enhance and grow The Perth Mint’s award-winning tourism and retail experience has been realised, with renovations to the site’s original heritage-listed building now complete.

In a regular year, The Perth Mint welcomes more than 80,000 visitors from around the world to experience the magic and allure of gold in a popular tourist attraction that includes an interactive exhibition, gold pour in the original 1899 melting house and retail showrooms.

As part of the $963,930 project, the building now has an enhanced foyer and upgraded luxury jewellery boutique, including a new ‘Pink Diamond Room’, as well as new blockbuster geological specimens in its award-winning gold exhibition.

“The overhaul of tourism and retail areas in our heritage building was well-overdue and necessary to ensure we continued to offer a welcoming and warm experience both to local visitors and tourists alike,” The Perth Mint Chief Executive Officer Richard Hayes said.

“The rich bounty of Western Australia, including our world-famous South Sea Pearls and pink diamonds from the Argyle Diamond Mine in the Kimberley, are now on show in a space that is fitting, and the Pink Diamond Room is set to be a major drawcard.”

Led by Perth Mint Shop and Exhibition Group Manager, Alison Puchy, the successful renovation took 12 months of planning and a further year of construction.

“The result is a modern aesthetic, which blends seamlessly with the heritage features of the Mint, arguably one of the most beautiful buildings in Perth.” she said.

Designed by Bryan Ho of BHO Interiors, who worked with lead contractor Perth Citi Fitout and project manager Anthony Horley, the renovations were completed with the involvement of 20 local companies.

“I wanted to create a piece of Perth history that showcases The Perth Mint’s unique heritage,” said Mr Ho.

“The main jewellery showroom features an elegant colour palette, crowned by large-scale 3D ceiling plasters representing the Mint’s iconic kangaroo, kookaburra and koala theme coins, and the organisation’s stylised swan logo is incorporated in customised black and gold carpet.

“Historic artefacts and components of the minting process are displayed within the custom-built joinery, creating an informative and educational retail and tourism experience.

“In the Pink Diamond Room, a hand-painted wall mural depicts the boab tree of the Kimberley region, home of the famous Argyle Diamond Mine, the world’s largest producer of pink diamonds until its recent closure.”

Perth Citi Fitout Managing Director Peter Doll said over 80 local tradespeople and consultants worked on the project, including cabinetmakers, glaziers, electricians, flooring and lighting trades.

“It was our absolute honour to work with The Perth Mint team to deliver a truly remarkable project that will provide patrons with a magnificent experience for years to come,” he said.

Two drawcard geological specimens in the gold exhibition complete the improvements. ‘King Henry’ and the ‘Karratha Queen’, two of the most valuable gold and silver specimens in the world, form a new display that underscores The Perth Mint’s century-deep connection to Australia’s precious metals sector.