Achievements
The Society has participated in successful public campaigns for:
- the establishment of the State Archives and the J S Battye Library of West Australian History within the Library and Information Service of Western Australia (now the State Library of Western Australia)
- the retention of the Old Mill, South Perth
- the defence of the Barracks Arch, Perth
- the preservation of the Palace Hotel in Perth
- the recognition of the heritage values of the East Perth Cemeteries
Other important achievements:
- An annual memorial service to honour the pioneers who are buried in the East Perth Cemeteries has been held since 1953
- The placement of memorials, frequently in partnership with local government, across the State to provide information and recognition of many facets of Western Australian history of special interest for tourists
- It was largely because of the growing response in the 1950s to heritage issues such as the Old Mill and the Barracks Arch, that the Society supported the formation of a local branch of the National Trust of Australia. This support is recognised in the relevant legislation establishing the branch and granting the Society permanent representation on the Council of the Trust. The formation of the National Trust of Australia (Western Australia) has relieved the Society of some heritage responsibilities and thus enabled our members to concentrate on the vital role of cataloguing, collating and conserving historical documents and artefacts
- The Society is represented on important historical organisations, namely:
- Federation of Australian Historical Societies Inc.
- Historical Records Rescue Consortium, a Lotterywest/State Library of Western Australia project
- History Council of Western Australia Inc.
- National Trust of Australia (Western Australia)