It was founded in May 1911 by migrants from Dartmouth, England, affectionately referred as the 'Dart Men'.

The founding president James Goucher served the association from 1911-1915. His contribution and the contribution of other Past Presidents and Life Members, are acknowledged on the Association Honour Board, located at our Maylands premises.

Our Founding Logo 1911-1997

The Logo (pictures on the right of screen) was the founding logo of the association and was used from 1911 to 1997. The logo was based on a design given to the Association by the Painters Guild in London England. It was replaced in 1997 by the current logo features at the top left of the page.

A brief history of the association can be found in the paragraphs below which outline significant milestones in the association life time.

Early in 1975 David Stirling, Secretary of the Master Painters, Decorators and Signwriters Association of W.A. suggested to Arnell Black, Director of the Master Plumbers Association that Black also take over the secretarial control of the Master Painters. Stirling, who had been part-time Secretary of the Master Painters Decorators and Signwriters for many years and whose achievements include the introduction of the Painters Registration Act in Western Australia, had been anxious to devote more time to his growing business interests. What made the proposal particularly attractive to both Associations was the fact that the Master Painters owned their own premises in Hay Street Subiaco and plans had been prepared for the construction of a new building on that site.

By late 1975, five Associations were involved in the consortium discussions, but the project ran into an early ‘dead end’ when it was established that the zoning of the Master Painters’ Subiaco site prohibited a display centre. So far as the Master Plumbers were concerned, the ability to remove the Association’s plumbing supplies display centre from the building they already occupied in Construction House into the new building was an essential pre-requisite.

The lose of the Subiaco site as a practical venue took some of the ‘steam’ out of the consortium, and in early 1976 it was in the doldrums.

A possible alternative site in Wellington Street, West Perth, put forward by a member of the consortium committee in March, 1976, appeared eminently suitable and gave fresh impetus to the consortium proposal, but responses from the owners to enquiries about its availability proved initially inconclusive. Nevertheless, an offer was made for the site and draft plans for a three-story building were drawn up, although the estimation of costs for the proposed building proved to be to high, presenting a potential financial problem to the consortium. Eventually, the consortium committee proved abortive, although not necessarily for reasons of finance, and its final meeting was held in July 1976. However, the Master Plumbers and the Master Painters, Decorators and Signwriters decided to persist with the offer for the Wellington Street site, and this offer was finally accepted, with the result that the two Associations purchased it with joint funds in August, 1976.

After further discussions between the two Associations, Black was authorised to draw up a proposal for a structure within the financial reach of the two Associations. This was done in September 1976, and presented to the Architect. Although difficult to convey or appreciate without making comparison of plans, this single storey proposal actually incorporated all the facilities and all the space of the earlier three storey proposal but (as the Architect’s new estimates bore out) at a greatly reduced cost.

The feasibility investigation was completed satisfactorily in November 1976, and Bank finance was arranged in December 1976, in which month the Architect was formally instructed to proceed to plans and specifications. With Christmas-New Year intervening, these were completed early in 1977, and put out for tender in March. Contracts were signed with the successful tenderer at the end of April and construction commenced on 16th May. Scheduled finishing date for the building was 18th September 1977. Signatories to the building contract for the two Associations were Geoff Smith, President of the Master Plumbers’ Association, Ernie Dillon Acting President of the Master Painters, Decorators and Signwriters’ Association (in the absence of President Eric Hood) Arnell Black, Director of the Master Plumbers’ Association, and David Stirling, our Association Secretary. The building was completed and officially opened by Perth Lord Mayor, Sir Ernest Le Steere, on Thursday 17th November 1977. It was an occasion that will be long remembered by members of both Association.

In final summation of this project, from the time it became a probability rather then a possibility, it is true to say that the real seed was sown by foresight and unselfishness displayed by David Stirling in the proposal which he put to Arnell Black in early 1975. Throughout the lengthy negotiations that followed, Stirling was fortified by the motivation and purpose of his President, Eric Hood, in the latter’s steadfast pursuit of the Master Painters objectives.

It should be emphasised that no merger of Association was involved in this project. Each Association continues to conduct its affairs quite separately and with complete autonomy, It is only in the mutual ownership and occupancy of the new building with its vastly superior facilities, and in the use of a combined Secretariat, that the affairs of the two Association link.

The building was called WAMPA Display Centre, It was situated at 1025 Wellington Street, West Perth, the Centre was a superbly designed functional building with all modern facilities; its commodious meeting room could comfortably accommodate 300 people.