Albany Snake Run Skate Park | HCWA Heritage Conference 2024
At the end of last year, our very own heritage specialist Sian Ferraz took a trip down to Albany for the Heritage Council’s Heritage Conference to speak about Albany’s heritage listed Snake Run Skate Park.
Built in 1976, Albany’s Snake Run Skate Park was the first purpose-built skate park in Australia and was an important milestone in Australian skateboarding history. The 140-metre long downhill concrete track was built into a sloping site that was formerly a series of old gravel quarries. Its opening gained worldwide publicity with American skateboarding legend Russ Howell showing off his skateboarding gymnastics and handstand tricks to the crowd.
Quickly approaching it’s 50th year, the Snake Run is still one of the youngest places included in the State Register of Heritage Places, and can be seen to demonstrate an important shift in the types of places that have been awarded heritage protection to ensure their preservation for future generations.
If you want to hear more about the Skate Park, the recording of Sian’s HCWA Heritage Conference presentation is now available online via the DPLH youtube page – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHoHPRXgZEk
