The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has a rich history in Perth, dating back to a significant event in the mid-1970s.

In 1975, preceding the establishment of the first ISKCON center in Western Australia, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder Acharya of ISKCON, spent ten days in Perth en route to the grand opening of a temple in Melbourne. During this brief visit, Srila Prabhupada laid the groundwork for ISKCON’s future endeavors in this remote part of the world.

In the early 1980s, devotees from other regions established small ISKCON preaching centers in rented houses in suburbs like Victoria Park, Coolbinia, and East Fremantle. In early 1983, devotees dispatched from Adelaide opened what is considered the first ISKCON Perth temple at 69 Havelock St, West Perth, with Purusottama das serving as the first Temple President, supported by Ambika dasi. The temple later relocated to 590 William St, Mt Lawley in 1984.

Deity worship commenced at the Mt Lawley temple in early 1985 when Purusottama Prabhu returned from the Gaura Purnima celebrations in Mayapur with small brass deities of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, with Ambika dasi as Their first pujari.

In June 1985, Perth devotees renovated an old Chinese grocery store and opened the Hare Krishna restaurant, Gopals, at 129 Barrack St in central Perth. When the lease expired on the Mt Lawley building in late 1987, the temple moved to the city, with Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai residing upstairs from Gopals restaurant.

In early 1990, ISKCON Perth devotees purchased an old federation-era house in Bayswater, where the temple was relocated after renovations, and the first arati to Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai was conducted on Govardhan Puja Day, 1990.

In January 1993, Gopals restaurant moved to 200 William St Northbridge and was renamed Hare Krishna Food For Life, with the new premises officially opened by the Mayor of Perth, Reg Withers.

The temple remained in Bayswater until 2008 when the present temple property in Kalamunda was purchased.

Around the same time, the Hare Krishna restaurant in Northbridge, now Govindas, moved a few doors down to its current address at 194 William Street, Northbridge.