By Professor Jenny Gregory AM and Liz McGrath

Nestled within the picturesque grounds of UWA, the Somerville Auditorium – affectionately dubbed the ‘Cathedral of Trees’ – has stood for nearly 80 years as a tribute to both nature and the visionary spirit of its namesake, William Somerville. 

For generations, the unique open-air venue has enchanted West Australians and visitors alike, providing a backdrop for film screenings, concerts and community gatherings beneath a majestic  canopy of Norfolk pine trees.

This year’s attendees will notice an impressive facelift, with a new durable ground surface cover with drainage system, paving works and artificial turf installed, under the guidance of UWA’s Manager Asset Maintenance, Mick Wright.

“The upgrades were driven by multiple infrastructure challenges which included our trees being impacted due to inadequate water reaching their root systems, ineffective drainage and reticulation, and poor accessibility that prevented grass from growing in certain areas,” Mr Wright says.

“The auditorium's electrical systems were also difficult to access, and heavy vehicle traffic had negatively impacted the roots of nearby trees, which is why it was decided a comprehensive refurbishment was needed.”

The result, he says, is a revitalised space that not only looks fantastic but will enhance the overall experience for all visitors.

Image: IA new drainage system, paving works and artificial turf have been successfully installed .

Reflecting on the auditorium’s rich history, UWA Emeritus Professor of History Jenny Gregory says it was 1927 when Mr Somerville, a foundation member of the UWA Senate and Chair of the Grounds Committee, imagined a space where trees would form the pillars of a great hall. 

Seeds of imagination

“Mr Somerville, who moved to WA from New South Wales in 1895, served as the workers' representative on the WA Arbitration Court for 21 years from 1905,” Professor Gregory says.

“In this role, he travelled extensively through the forests of the South West, engaging with timber workers. He was deeply concerned about the human impact on the environment, particularly on trees.

“A plain-speaking man who avoided embellishment, he described ‘the beauty of the natural aisles’ in the forest as ‘breathtaking’.”

Professor Gregory says the first document in the Somerville Papers, a thick file of typed and handwritten documents and plans held in the UWA Archives that chart Somerville’s ideas and their progress, is Charles Lane-Poole’s 1926 report on the Forests of Norfolk Island. 

Image: (left) Figure 2 1928 Temple of Trees and (right) Figure 1 2060P William Somerville in 1926.

“Having heard that Mr Lane-Poole, formerly Conservator of Forests in Western Australia, had prepared the report, Mr Somerville wrote asking for details, saying ‘I have had a brain wave – a Ceremonial Hall’ with Norfolk Island Pines as the ‘Pillars’ and canopy ‘of a Great Hall’,” Professor Gregory says.

“Inspired by the forests of the South West, he wanted to create a natural amphitheatre where the top branches of the trees would intertwine, offering shelter.

“Mr Lane-Poole, referring to the idea as ‘a living cathedral’, wrote straight back telling him the trees needed to be planted 30 feet apart and sent a small packet of seeds to help begin the scheme. 

“Mr Somerville responded ‘If any other tree occurs to you, please don’t barrack for any other – I have set my mind upon this one’.”

Planning his cathedral of pines

Despite some early scepticism, the environmentalist pressed on, eventually sourcing his Norfolk Island pines from the State Nursery after the original seeds failed to germinate.

Under the supervision of Oliver Dowell, UWA’s foreman gardener, the pines were planted in a precise formation to create the desired cathedral-like atmosphere. 

With many dismissing the project initially as a “silly waste of space,” Mr Somerville kept the plans largely under wraps until the trees became established. 

Image: Figure 9 1953P First performance in the Somerville Auditorium with William Somerville on stage (to the right).

“By 1945, the auditorium was ready for its first performance – an Everyman’s Music Concert held on February 15, attended by dignitaries and an enthusiastic audience of over 2,000 people, most who sat on rugs and cushions on the grass,” Professor Gregory recounts.

Following the success of the concert, the Senate named the auditorium in Mr Somerville’s honour. Although some, including Chancellor Sir Walter Murdoch, objected to the Latin term “auditorium,” the name prevailed, celebrating the foresight and commitment of the ‘man of trees’. 

Arts in action at the Somerville

In 1947, the venue expanded its offerings to include film screenings, beginning with the French historical drama Mayerling (1936) starring Charles Boyer and Danielle Darrieux, based on real-life events that led to the deaths of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and his lover Baroness Mary Vetsera.

“Under the leadership of Fred Alexander, who was Director of Adult Education, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and later Professor of History at UWA, the auditorium became a hub for summer events, drawing thousands and laying the groundwork for what would eventually evolve into the Festival of Perth,” Professor Gregory says.

“As the years progressed, it continued to thrive, hosting a variety of performances – from operas and ballets to films and folk dancing and became very popular in the community, generating significant revenue for the University's Adult Education Board. 

“But by the 1970s, wear and tear led had led to calls for its replacement. Fortunately, a study in 1976 proposed integrating the venue into a broader performing arts complex, including the Octagon, the new Dolphin Theatre, the adjacent Eileen Joyce Music Studio and the Music Building.

“Landscaped by the new University Architect at the time, Arthur Bunbury, and landscape designer, Jean Verschuer, this was described as ‘one of the most beautiful sequences of precincts on the campus’.” 

In 1977, when David Blenkinsop was appointed Perth Festival Director, the auditorium regained its prominence in the arts scene. As the venue evolved, it continued to draw audiences to its iconic film screenings and live performances, becoming a cornerstone of cultural life in Perth.

Reflecting on its origins before he died in 1954, Mr Somerville noted that the Whadjuk Noongar people referred to the area as ‘Boorianup’, meaning ‘a place of trees’. 

“Magnificent trees that continue to delight and inspire the thousands of people who visit the Somerville Auditorium each year, whether to escape into a world of celluloid dreaming on summer evenings, to picnic, to celebrate, or to just be in a place of quiet contemplation beneath the canopy,” Professor Gregory says.

Image: Renovations complete and ready for another action-packed season under the stars.

For more information about UWA's history, please visit the UWA's Historical Society's website and its Oral History Portal which includes more than 80 interviews with former staff members and UWA graduates.

Image at top of page: Figure 6 4431P Somerville Auditorium Spring 1945