White City, also known as Cooee City[1] or Ugly Land,[2] was an amusement park that existed on the
Perth foreshore in
Perth, Western Australia between
World War I and 1929.[3]
Location
It was originally located where the current
Supreme Court Gardens are located, but in 1922 was moved into the space now occupied by the Elizabeth Quay
bus and
train stations.[4] It was often referred to being located at the foot of
William Street.[5]
Uglieland
The name Ugly Land (also seen as Uglieland) was used in the era between the World War I and the
Centenary of Western Australia in 1929 due to the
Ugly Men's Association being involved with management of various events at the park in its history. It also was considered as a significant entertainment venue for poorer sections of the community.[6] The Ugly Men's Association lost an income generator when White City was closed.[7]
Many different facilities were provided at different stages in the park, including the more unusual events - such as
goat racing events.[8]
Controversy
In the 1920s the amusement park caused
moral panic due to the allegations of gambling[9] and other activities deemed unsuitable.[10][4]
There had been calls for it to be closed long before its eventual closure.[11]
It was closed in 1929 after pressure from various groups for it to be removed before the
Western Australian centenary celebrations in Perth.[12]
^Not to be confused with the contemporary Uglieland in Fremantle (1922-1936) - see page 63 - Tout-Smith, Deborah; Delroy, Ann; Bradshaw, Wendy; Western Australian Museum (1998), The foundations of Fremantle : exploring the early history of Western Australia's port city, Western Australian Museum,
ISBN978-0-7307-3811-4
^Davis, Annette (June 1990), "Good times for all?: popular entertainment and class consciousness in Western Australian Society during the interwar years. [Paper in special issue: Gregory, Jenny (ed.). Western Australia Between the Wars, 1919-1939]", Studies in Western Australian History (11): 68–79,
ISSN0314-7525