Heathcote Hospital Precinct (fmr), Applecross

Statement of Significance

Point Heathcote is a landmark site which at various times figured prominently in the history of Perth from the time of Captain Stirlings expedition of 1827 through Aboriginal European relationships during the colonial period, recognition of its physical significance by the City Beautiful movement to is choice as the site for the Point Heathcote Reception Home. Point_Heathcote is a sominant headland marking the south-eastern corner_ of Melville Waters and the junction' of the Swan and Canning Rivers. It is an important reference and identification Point because of its location and identity. A consistent historical objective has been for point Heathcote to become the southern foreshore equivalent of Kings Park with the retention of the essential physical form and vegetation of the headland. Despite alterations, the original group of buildings developed in 1929' as the Point Heathcote_ Reception Home a cohesive complex which show a careful and sensitive use of an exceptional site for the development of a Psychiatric- hospital based on a new typology of buildings and external spaces. These mark an important advancement on earlier institutions for the treatment of mental health within Western Australia; Heathcote occupies the important Point Heathcote site with distinction because the natural characteristics of the site are enhanced by an original complex which adds a sympathetic civic presence to the totography and landscape quality-of the promontory: The water Tower is an important landmark; which also a conscious civic compliment to the Winthrop Hall campanile in the University of Western Australia. The happy congruence of this important site and the original Point Heathcote Reception Home are identified in the public mind as an important civic place and landmark which should be retained.

Physical Description

The male portion fronted onto the Canning River and the female portion onto the Swan River. Each block was provided with verandahs, balconies/ and hot and cold water. The administration block stood between connected to the ward blocks by covered ways. The kitchen block was centrally situated with regard to the future layout. Cold storage facilities and boiler house were attached. The domestic quarters were adjacent to the kitchen and the two storey nurses quarters which provided for a staff of 36, was near the western boundary of the site facing Waylen Bay. Provision was made for tennis courts and other sporting facilities . The Water Tower cum Clock Tower was designed in 1928 by Principal Architect Tait (successor to-Hardwick):-to render the “utilities inconspicuous and improving the whole appearance of the Institution, would be justified and very well spent “ The additional 700 pounds provided a landmark tower. The treatment block (Swan House) added in 1940, to the design of the Government Architect/ A E Clare/ marked a change in the style and pattern of development; The scale and character of this block are similar to-that-of the,.ori9inal home development, however the typology of buildings and spaces was changed. It seems probable that the Medical Officer s Residence was constructed at this time, given the strong stylistic similarities with Swan House . More recent buildings- dating from 22 February 1962 and 1960-s include, Avon House 1972, the Occupational Therapy Building and Hall. These have had different programmatic requirements due to changes in the nature of the services provided by Heathcote. Post War development did not attempt to reflect the style character, typology or site planning principles of the earlier development. Both internally and externally the original home development was methodically and-rationally planned with a clear building typology applied. This/in time, was translated into a rationalised construction process using traditional methods, utilising modular materials and consistency of detailing to give order and character. Care was also taken to modify climatic/environmental factors for those parts of the original home which would otherwise suffer discomfort due to room orientation. Spaces Site planning principles for the original home were for a series of pavilions/blocks to be disposed around a central communal courtyard/ through which all communication occurred. This was reached through a sweeping, welcoming drive through grand entrance gates, flanked by palm trees. Patients accommodation was disposed into wings providing the opportunity for patients discreet external spaces. Nursing quarters were removed into the western corner of the site/ with their own discreet section of the foreshore and separate entrance from Duncraig Road. The Water Tower, kitchen and former domestic quarters were symmetrically aligned in the centre of the site. The pattern and hierarchy of external spaces/ which was integral to the typology of the original building types was not respected in later editions. This has confused the original design intentions and diminished the value of the original home desi gn d. The number and variety of the external spaces in the original typology provided wide possibilities for their use from communal spaces to quiet reflective spaces-for small numbers of people. Whilst these possibilities still exist/ because of the nature of the site. The clear hierarchal pattern has been substantially compromised by the Post War development.

History

Assessment 1991 Lionel Lukin was the first owner of the site when he was granted the 300 hectare Swan Location 61 which was later extended to 400 hectares. On visiting the land he was disappointed, considering only 8 out- of 300 hectares were suitable for arable farming. In December 1832 Lukin exchanged Lot 61 for 20 hectares adjacent to his Fremantle property claiming that due to the number of Aborigines on the site no one would settle there. He gained freehold ownership in 1841 but it was September 1843 before properties were marked out. After Lukin mortgaged the Property and fail to meet repayments Swan Location 61 was bought at auction in September 1842 by Alfred Waylen. In 1842 it had been mortgaged to Peter Belches of Albany. John Wellard bought Swan Location 61 from Waylen in 1856 _for 700 pounds, planning to use the land for grazing. He had a butchers shop at Fremantle and, provided meat for the Rottnest penal settlement . In 1865 he was declared bankrupt and Lots 61and 74 were purchased by Silas and George Pearse for 250 pounds. The Fremantle butchers and merchants had the contract for the supply of fresh meat to-Rottnest and owned a tannery at North Fremantle. Between 1840 and 1885 the property was used as rough grazing-for horses and cattle. William McMillan bought the land in 1886 and sold it to the Western Australian Land-Company Ltd in 1892. Alexander Matheson bought Swan Location 61 and nearby Swan Locations 73 and 74; and the Cockburn Sound Location 356 which were subdivided in 1896 by the Melville Water Park Estate Company of which he was a director. The new suburb of Applecross was planned as a model suburb for wealthy residents but did not really take off until the 1920 s. The site at the tip of Point Heathcote encompassing most of the hospital site was transferred to Matheson s wife, Eleanor, at the time of the original subdivision. In 1909 the Christian Brothers first showed interest in acquiring the land but were not successful in obtaining it until-1918. Between 1923 and 1927, the area of the present Point Heathcote Hospital was bought by the government including the land held by the Christian Brothers and smaller lots owned by the London and Western Australian Investment Co Ltd, Harold Redcliffe (Lot 34) and N S Bartlett(Lot~33).

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