A shout-out to Donnybrook stone
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (372747)
Rockingham, Australia
December 20, 2025 2:44am CST
The photo shows the old Baptist Church in Donnybrook, Western Australia, where we used to live. The photo has been ‘enhanced’ a bit by Vince. The Anglican Church is also constructed of the same stone.
The church is made of Donnybrook stone. It seems it originates from the early Cretaceous period. The colour ranges from white through beige to pink shades. In and around the 1930s, there were up to eight quarries producing the stone. It has been used for a great many public buildings in Perth and elsewhere, including parts of Parliament House, the GPO (Post Office) and the Supreme Court building.
I love seeing buildings made of stone. Most look very 'permanent' for want of a better word.
11 people like this
8 responses
@LindaOHio (214836)
• United States
20 Dec
Lovely. I like stone buildings too. We have a mammoth stone fireplace in our living room.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (372747)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec
@LindaOHio Wow, that's huge! What a great fire you could have in there.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (54626)
• Canada
20 Dec
It is a lovely building.
I admire stone, and the bricks used in various areas.
It is usually indicative of the type of soil where the bricks were made from.
In our area the soil is light, and so is the old brickwork, where we originated from, it has hard old clay soil, and the bricks were a reddish colour.
Funny what we can learn from dirt.
2 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (49225)
• India
20 Dec
Here also, the same term is used : GPO (Old British connect ! ).
The stone seems to give both classical and a modern look.
Also, local stones' usage if effectively done means a tougher and longer lasting building.
Any pictures of the Supreme Court building or parliament house?
By the way, how is life shaping up these days?
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (49225)
• India
21 Dec
@JudyEv
I would surely check it out!
Aussies wrapped up Ashes by going 3-0 up.
England look clueless.
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (49225)
• India
22 Dec
@JudyEv
I can see now.
Some elements of the Colonial "Raj" architecture are evident.
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@moffittjc (127545)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Dec
I love stone buildings. I wish they would come back in style, I would love to see some modern architecture that incorporates local quarried stone into their designs.
I love the various shades of color on the stones in your photo.
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@moffittjc (127545)
• Gainesville, Florida
22 Dec
@JudyEv That is also a very beautiful building. I’ve always loved brick and stone buildings over more modern building materials.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (372747)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Dec
We don't really have an 'old' history but we do have some lovely stone buildings.
