Graham Flats, West Perth: $23m refurbishment of 70 units done

Housing and Works Minister John Carey said in the statement: “Graham Flats has provided social housing for seniors in West Perth for almost 70 years.”

The builder was Shelford Construction, which the statement describes as a Perth-based firm.

The numbers

The cost was $23 million, with work starting in 2024, the statement says. Graham Flats opened in 1958 and is named as one of the state’s first multi-storey social housing projects, built to answer post-war housing demand.

It has been on the State Register of Heritage Places since 2001. The statement describes it as 68 years old.

Works listed in the statement:

• replacement roof
• electrical upgrades, including a new substation
• removal of all asbestos
• restored, better-glazed windows
• new sewer and stormwater systems throughout
• full internal refurbishment of every unit

The government also highlighted heritage work: the building’s heritage fabric was kept, the original colour scheme and post-war modern interiors were restored, and the original landscape plan was reinstated. Carey named new features including ceiling fans, accessible walk-in showers and induction cooktops.

The statement places the project within what it calls a record $10.8 billion investment in housing measures since 2021, including $4.7 billion in the 2026-27 State Budget. It adds that the State’s housing stock has grown by over 4,400 homes since the spending began.

What’s next

All units have been pre-allocated to prospective tenants, according to the statement, and the first tenants are due to move in later in November 2026. Separately, in Karratha, a councillor has moved to strip social housing from the state-funded Mulataga estate.

Source: Government of Western Australia media statement, 2 November 2026. Reported by The Australian Developer.