Perth Bell Tower - WA

The Perth Bell Tower (home of the Swan Bells) is open daily from 10am. The Bell Tower is the only place in the world where you can view bell ringing in action or where you can even have a go at bell ringing yourself in one of their interactive Bell Tower Chiming Experience tours. There are 6 levels to visit in total, with choice of a lift or spiral staircase to each level. Each level has something of interest and you will spend at least 30 mins - 2 hours there depending whether you opt for the Experience Tour or just the General Entry.

General Entry allows you to self-tour the exhibits and access all levels. If you time your visit you can observe the professional bell ringers at work - either look through glass windows down into the bell ringing room, and/or go to the next level and see the moving bells as they are rung.

The Experience Tour is a 30 minute bell ringing demonstration where you will go into the bell ringing room and your guide will explain the history of the bells and you will participate in an interactive demonstration of the art of chiming a bell and receive a souvenir bell chiming certificate. Suitable for all ages.

Construction of the Bell Tower began in 1999 and is one of the largest purpose built musical instruments in the world. The tower houses what is referred to as the Swan Bells, which include the 12 bells of St Martin-in-the-Fields (an English Anglican church that sits at the NE corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London). These 12 bells have a long and interesting history and date back to the 14th century. After being in use in the church for 275 years they were obtained by the City of Perth as part of Australia's bicentenary celebrations in 1988 and a new set of bells were installed in the church. Negotiations for the procurement of the bells was managed by Laith Reynolds, a Perth bell ringer and businessman.

Six additional bells were cast (at Whitechapel Bell Foundry) to bring the total up to 18 bells (a full set) but it was another 10 years until the Bell Tower was constructed to house them. It was Richard Court's government that agreed to build this tower as Perth's major millennium project - as part of a Barrack Square redevelopment. The tower was designed by Perth architect William Hames, who created a glass tower surrounded by copper sails to reflect the riverside setting. The tower was planned so that the bells would hang at exactly the same height as they had in St Martin-in-the-Fields.

On 21st October 2018 a new bell was installed at the Perth Bell Tower, being a 6.5 tonne ANZAC Bell. This is the biggest ever cast in the Southern Hemisphere and was built in dedication to the ANZACS as a First World War Centenary Project. This bell rings at 12pm every day.

The tower itself is 82.5 metres tall, impressive, yet not domineering in the face of the CBD backdrop. Uniquely, the Bell Tower is built with soundproof viewing galleries to allow visitors to see the bells and watch as bellringers perform their art, a first of its kind innovation.

One of the most unique activities to do in Perth is to hear the Ringers practising their ancient art of ‘Change Ringing’. The bells are also rung on many other occasions, with 10-bell practices and Surprise Major Practices being held monthly.

Anyone in the vicinity of the Bell Tower will hear the bells ring out at different times of the day. Professional bell ringers sound the bells every Monday, Thursday and Sunday from 12pm - 1pm. During these times visitors to the Bell Tower can observe the bell ringers at work through the window on Level 4 looking down into the bell ringers room on Level 3.

The General Entry fee ($9 adults, $8 concession, children 5-14yrs $7) allows you to visit all six public areas of the tower and watch the ringing of the bells. There is plenty of historical information, photos, artefacts and signboards that explain the various bells, their origins and how the bells are rung at the Perth bell tower as well as the construction of the Perth Bell Tower in 1999 which was especially built to house the bells.

There is an outdoor observation deck on level 6 where you can look out over the Swan River, look up to see the tower spire, and walk along a deck around the outside of the tower to enjoy the vantage point over Riverside Drive and up Barrack Street.

The Carillon bells is also situated on the observation deck. This 26 bell Carillon plays several well known tunes and national anthems for a gold coin.

A must-do experience for visitors to Perth.