DUPLEX (DEMOLISHED), 434 SOUTH TERRACE

Statement of Significance

DEMOLISHED- retained on MHI database for historical information purposes only.

Physical Description

DEMOLISHED- retained on MHI database for historical information purposes only.

History

South Terrace was formerly called Mandurah Road. It followed the line of ancient Aboriginal tracks and was the main entrance to Fremantle from the south. Mandurah Road used to continue south along the coast, but owing to shifting sand dunes, it was necessary to make a deviation to Douro Road and travel further inland. In 1901, two cottages (432-434 South Tce) were built on the lot for Donald McDonald MacKay, a pastoralist and MLC for the North Province (1896-1902). Mr MacKay came to Fremantle in 1892/93 after selling his northern pastoral property ‘Mundabullangana’. He married Emily Vincent in 1893 and purchased a number of properties in Fremantle (about 70-80 houses!). The first occupiers of the cottages were Luke Rockey and Frank Whittam, both labourers. The original street addresses were 302 Mandurah Road (later 202 Mandurah Road; then 432 South Terrace) and 304 Mandurah Road (later 204 Mandurah Road; then 434 South Terrace). On the death of MacKay in 1904, ownership passed to Frank Biddles (later owner of the Princess Theatre in Market St). The property was owned by Biddles and then, after his death in the early 1930s, by his estate, until 1940/41, when the duplex was purchased by Mary Jordon. It continued to be a rental property at this time. The duplexes mirrored one another. Each had a front verandah, two bedrooms linked by a side hallway that opened into living areas behind. In 1950/51, both duplexes were owned by Alice Plowman and Ray Wallis. Ms Plowman lived at 202 Mandurah Road; 204 continued to be a rental property. This continued to be the situation until c. 1960, when the property was bought by Olga Aritonovic and both duplexes were again rented to tenants. The property has had a number of owners since the late 1960s. In 1985, the Health Surveyor found the duplexes were in poor repair. In 1992, a works order was issued to the owner after it was found that the kitchens and laundries were virtually non-existent and that the bathrooms and toilets were in very poor condition. The following year, an application to demolish the existing duplex and replace with a new, double storey duplex was granted.

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