Please be advised: this website contains the names, images and voices of people who are now deceased.

Collections WA has a responsibility to preserve and make accessible the history and culture of Western Australia in all its various forms. The intention of Collections WA is to support research, and to reveal actions of the past that have impacted upon communities, families, and individuals.

In doing so, Collections WA acknowledges the need to respond sensitively and appropriately in cases when accessing this material may be confronting to Aboriginal visitors and clients.

Please also note: Some historical materials within this portal may include language or opinions that today are considered inappropriate or even offensive. Collections WA does not endorse this language and apologises for any distress caused.

Continue

Continue showing cultural advice

Stop showing cultural advice

Collections WA brings together collections from libraries, galleries, museums, archives, historical societies, cultural organisations, community groups and other collecting organisations across Western Australia.

Busselton Historical Society > Records

Metal sign - WW2 Perth Air Raid Shelter

« Prev Item Next Item »

Perth City Council

c. 1942

Subcollections

Overview

Yellow tin sign with a black border and black stenciled words that was made by the Perth City Council for a WW2 Air Raid Shelter

Historical information

World War II

Details

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2024.139

Item type

Themes

War and Conflict

War and Conflict > World War 2

Material

Width

15 in

Height or length

9 in

Inscriptions and markings

"PERTH CITY COUNCIL
AIR RAID SHELTER
---- FOR ----
EMERGENCY USE ONLY"

Contextual information

Air Raid Shelters were located in existing infrastructure, such as underground stations, tunnels, cellars in houses or basements in larger establishments and above ground railway arches.

Whilst Broome was the southernmost point for Japanese bombing raids in WA, Perth still prepared for the worst and air raid shelters were made ready in places like outside the Commonwealth Bank in Murray Street, Perth. This sign would have originated from one of these unused shelters.

Keywords

Air Raid Precautions

Place made

Perth, WA, Australia

Year

Primary significance criteria

Social or spiritual significance

Links to additional resources

Air raid shelters outside the Commonwealth Bank in Murray Street, Perth

Photo from the Australian Army Museum of Western Australia showing the air raid shelters outside the Commonwealth Bank in Murray Street, Perth

Last modified

Sunday, 8 February, 2026

Completeness

100

Related Objects

Related Objects

Parent records

Military Display

Busselton Historical Society

Busselton Historical Society

Other items from Busselton Historical Society

WW2 Perth Air Raid Shelter sign

WW2 Perth Air Raid Shelter sign

Media reuse | View full size | Item feedback

Scan this QR code to open this page on your phone ->

Full size unavailable (you're already seeing this image in its highest resolution available on Collections WA)

Loading...