King Street is located in the central business district (CBD) of Perth, Western Australia. The street has a very European feel with its early 20th century, low-rise architecture and restored facades.

History

The street was originally called King William Street and was probably named after King William IV. Its name appears for the first time on maps of the Land Department in 1840. Commonly once known locally as the start of the "West End", it transverses two of Perth's major streets, Murray Street and Hay Street. Between the two there used to be many high-end stores such as McKilroy, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, Prada, Kookai, Bally, Georg Jensen, Tiffany & Co., Sass and Bide, Watches of Switzerland, Zomp, Dilettante, Hunt Leather, Longchamp, and many other stores and cafes. Almost all have now left for new premises in Murray Street, Perth's new retail centre. Other high-end retailers that once surrounded King Street on Hay Street included Burberry, Emporio Armani, Canali, Hugo Boss and Apple. King Street's demise has been well documented and many commentators have noted that it now consists largely of empty shops. During significant changes in the Perth CBD in the 1980s, King Street was recognised as being a significant remnant of Perth's earlier streetscapes. The street precinct is listed with the Heritage Council of Western Australia.