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South Perth's Harper on Swan
Following the demolition of 9 Harper Terrace in December 2025 and 65 South Perth Esplanade in January 2026, the amalgamated sites, together with the vacant block at 11 Harper Terrace, are being redeveloped as Harper on Swan, a luxury apartment development comprising 71 residences overlooking the Swan River and Perth city skyline.
Designed by Hillam Architects and developed by Edge Visionary Living, the project includes a mix of two and three-bedroom apartments together with larger riverfront residences, sub-penthouses and penthouses. Each apartment has been individually designed to maximise river views, natural light and internal living spaces, with features including high ceilings, full-height glazing, natural stone finishes, premium flooring, walk-in robes, bespoke lighting and Gaggenau kitchen appliances.
Residents will have access to more than 2,000 square metres of shared facilities, including a 25-metre lap pool, magnesium wellness pool with cold plunge, spa and steam rooms, gymnasium, yoga and stretching studio, landscaped gardens, outdoor dining areas, private cabanas, executive boardroom, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and games room. The building also incorporates secure basement parking and dual lift cores, providing access to a limited number of apartments from each lift to improve privacy.
The development occupies a prominent corner site on South Perth Esplanade and Harper Terrace overlooking the Swan River. Its location provides convenient access to the South Perth Foreshore, Mends Street café and dining precinct, the South Perth ferry terminal and the Perth CBD.
Construction is being undertaken by Edge Construction, the developer's in-house construction company. Demolition of the former buildings was completed in January 2026, with construction scheduled to commence shortly afterwards. Prior to construction beginning, the development had reportedly achieved more than $100 million in apartment sales, reflecting strong demand for luxury riverfront residences in South Perth.
© Edge Visionary Living
South Perth 9 Harper Terrace
The house at 9 Harper Terrace was constructed sometime during the late 1950s as a riverside residence overlooking the Swan River. Pharmacist Jan Wallace was recorded on the Pharmaceutical Register in February 1978 with the address of 9A Harper Terrace, indicating that the property had been constructed as or subdivided into two residences.
The property remained a private residence until 2024, when it was sold with the adjoining 11 Harper Terrace to Edge Holdings No. 21 Pty Ltd as 9–11 Harper Terrace for $36.3 million. The house was demolished in December 2025.
September - December 2025
South Perth 11 Harper Terrace
Constructed in 1920, 11 Harper Terrace occupied a big residential lot overlooking the Swan River. Throughout much of its early history it was home to a succession of prominent Western Australians, including politicians, businessmen and professionals.
The first recorded occupant was Edward Bertram Johnston MLA in 1921, who was joined the following year by fellow parliamentarian William George Pickering MLA. Over the following decades the house was occupied by Edwin Midwood, Arthur Reginald Flint, Albert Ernest Woollands, John Stewart Foxall, George Frederick Nicholas and later Constance and Matthew Lisle Pym, who remained there until at least the late 1940s.
The house was occasionally connected with events reported in the newspapers. In 1931, rugby player Alex McGregor was living at the property when he injured his ankle during a match in Victoria Park and was admitted to hospital. Two years later, in December 1933, an advertisement offered the furnished house for rent, specifically noting that it was not suitable for families with young children.
One of the property's longest-known residents was Matthew Lisle Pym, who died aged 65 in July 1938 after recently retiring from 40 years of service on Rottnest Island. Born in Wales, he was survived by his wife and three sons. His wife Constance was the daughter of Colonel Angelo, who had served for many years as commandant of Rottnest Island.
Frances Mary Chan
The property changed hands on 16 October 1993 when it sold for $705,000.
By February 1996, Frances Mary Chan, also known as Frances Mary Tan and Frances Mary Chew, was residing at 11 Harper Terrace, where she was identified as a real estate agent in a notice relating to the administration of her bankrupt estate. The notice also recorded that she had formerly traded as Frances Chan Real Estate from Davison Street, Maddington, operated the Cooralong Park Deli in Jarrahdale, and had previously been a director of Elisha Holdings Pty Ltd.
Frances Mary Chan later became the subject of extensive investigations by the Western Australian Ministry of Fair Trading, the Commercial Crime Division and the Fraud Squad following allegations of fraudulent activities. Authorities investigated whether she had breached the Real Estate and Business Agents Act and whether criminal offences had been committed, while also examining allegations involving private investment loans. The Ministry also considered whether people who claimed to have suffered financial losses were eligible for compensation through the Fidelity Guarantee Fund, which existed to compensate victims whose money had been misappropriated during real estate transactions.
In October 1995, conditions were placed on Mrs Chan's real estate practising certificate by the Real Estate and Business Agents Supervisory Board. After failing to satisfy those conditions, she was no longer permitted to work as a licensed real estate agent. The investigation was later discussed in the Western Australian Parliament in 1997, where it was alleged that ten elderly people had lost their homes and life savings through dealings involving Mrs Chan. Concerns were also raised about settlement practices after claims that the same settlement agent had acted for both buyers and sellers in a number of transactions. During the debate, questions were also raised about the involvement of solicitor Seng Fai Chan in some property dealings, although the Government advised that no evidence had been found of breaches of the Fair Trading Act in relation to those allegations and inquiries were continuing. Frances Mary Chan was later convicted of a number of fraud offences.
Demolished
The house was demolished in 2002 and in 2019, the vacant lot formed part of a larger proposal encompassing properties on South Perth Esplanade and Harper Terrace for an 11-storey mixed-use development containing apartments, commercial space and associated parking. The proposal generated considerable discussion because of its scale, height and impact on the South Perth foreshore, with the City of South Perth Council ultimately resolving to oppose the application in its submitted form and raising concerns about matters including building height, setbacks, overshadowing, streetscape impacts, traffic and consistency with local planning policies.
© 1989 Betty Smith
65 South Perth Esplanade
Constructed in 1974, the apartment building known as Ullaring occupied one of South Perth’s most prominent riverfront locations, overlooking the Swan River towards the Perth city skyline. The complex was fairly small, containing just five apartments across three residential levels.
The ground floor accommodated the garage, several small storage rooms, a shower room, a maintenance room and the main foyer, with a lift and stairwell providing access to the apartments above. The first and second floors each contained two apartments, with each residence occupying half a floor to maximise the uninterrupted river views. The third floor was occupied by a single penthouse apartment. A substantial spiral staircase constructed from solid jarrah served all three residential levels.
Ullaring
The building was officially known as Ullaring, with the name displayed on a masonry sign at the front entrance. While the origin of the name has not been established, it may have been inspired by the Western Australian locality of Ularring, although no documentary evidence has been found confirming why the name was chosen.
On 9 July 2025, the entire Ullaring apartment complex was sold to Edge Holdings No. 21 Pty Ltd for $5.685 million.
Unit 1 and 2
The earliest recorded sale for Unit 1 took place on 22 May 2004, when it sold for $1.07 million. The same owner later purchased Unit 2 on 31 March 2014 for $2.6 million, bringing both apartments under common ownership.
Unit 3
Unit 3 was originally owned by Kenlow Investments Pty Ltd, the company behind Kenlow, a long-established Western Australian family business established in 1969 that manufactures outdoor blinds, awnings, caravan annexes and industrial textile products for residential and commercial customers.
On 3 November 1986, Kenlow Investments Pty Ltd sold Unit 3 for $205,000 to Donald Mervyn Hutchison and his wife, Verna Patricia Hutchison. Donald Hutchison was a respected figure within Western Australia’s real estate industry. In June 1959, he was appointed a Sworn Valuator under the Transfer of Land Act for the Crown Law Department, and in the 1989 Queen’s Birthday Honours he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his service to the real estate industry and the community.
Following Donald’s death on 1 January 2007, ownership of the apartment passed to Verna Patricia Hutchison, who also had held a real estate licence. She continued to live in the apartment before selling it to a private purchaser on 9 July 2018 for $2.3 million.
Unit 4
Unit 4 was originally owned by Jeanette Holdings Pty Ltd, a company registered on 21 June 1967 that remained active until March 2014. It was later purchased by Ian J. H. Porter. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Porter emigrated to Western Australia with his parents, John and Jeanie Porter, aboard the Otranto in 1953, with the family first settling at Boyup Brook. Their migration is recognised on Fremantle’s Welcome Walls. Porter later registered the business name IJH Porter as a sole trader in April 2002, although the nature of the business has not been established from publicly available records.
Unit 5
Unit 5 being the penthouse, was first identified as being owned by George Joseph Strickland, who later became a Liberal member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. Before entering politics, Strickland spent almost three decades as a teacher. After graduating from the Western Australian Institute of Technology (now Curtin University) with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physics, he completed a Diploma of Education in 1974. He taught manual arts at Scarborough Senior High School from 1962 before moving to Lockridge Senior High School as a mathematics teacher in 1975. In 1985, he became Head of Mathematics at Hampton Senior High School, remaining there until entering politics in 1989.
At the 1989 State election, Strickland was elected as the Liberal member for Scarborough before transferring to the new electorate of Innaloo in 1996. Following the Liberal Party’s victory at the 1993 election, he was appointed Chairman of Committees and Deputy Speaker before becoming Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 1997. He retired from politics in 2001 and also served as a Justice of the Peace between 1989 and 2010.
Strickland sold the apartment on 12 July 2012 for $3.1 million to BRSF Pty Ltd and Veau Pty Ltd.
BRSF and Veau
BRSF Pty Ltd was registered on 22 September 2011 and remains a current company with a registered address in Stirling, Western Australia. Its name abbreviates Big Rooster Superannuation Fund, an active self-managed superannuation fund established in March 2000. Veau Pty Ltd was registered on 30 November 1981 and remains current with a registered address in Caringbah, New South Wales. Land records indicate that Veau Pty Ltd owns two properties, while BRSF Pty Ltd owns nine.
Although the penthouse was sold to Edge Holdings Pty Ltd in July 2024, BRSF Pty Ltd and Veau Pty Ltd continue to be listed as landowners for the Harper on Swan redevelopment, together with Hanny Properties Pty Ltd as trustee for the Hanny Geha Family Trust.
The apartments were demolished in January 2026.
December 2025
