Shenton Park Station Master's House (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural significance for the following reasons:
• The place has historic value for its association with the development of Shenton Park in the early 20th century.
• The place has historic value for its association with the provision of services to the growing community by the State Government.
• The place has aesthetic value as a restrained example of the Federation Bungalow style executed in brick in its original garden setting.
• The Station Master’s House has been a landmark in the streetscape and the community from 1916.
• The place has historic and social value as a demonstration of government housing in the 1910s for senior civil servants.

Physical Description

No. 30 Waylen Road is a single storey brick dwelling with a corrugated steel hip and gable roof displaying characteristics of the Federation Bungalow style of architecture.

It presents as a symmetrical façade with gables to either side of the entry sequence which protrude slightly from the front brick wall beneath. The house has a hipped and gabled roof with two exposed brick chimneys, each with corbelling and terracotta chimney pots.

A simple skillion verandah extends across the front façade and is supported by square timber posts. It is raised two steps off of ground level.

The external walls are tuckpointed brick with a rendered string course band at sill height. Set within the verandah is a central recessed entryway flanked by pairs of double hung timber windows to each gable. The timber framed front door has a highlight window and a series of decorative side lights. The windows are simple timber framed sash windows with arched brick lintels and rendered sills.

The house has a paved front yard and is not enclosed by a front fence. A mature verge tree partially obscures the dwelling from the street.

History

This brick cottage was built on this site for the Station Master of the West Subiaco (Shenton Park) Railway Station in 1917. The building was originally located in Wellington Street West Perth then relocated to this site by the former Railways Department, now the Public Transport Authority.

This portion of the City of Subiaco was originally known as West Subiaco before being renamed, Shenton Park in 1934.1 The land on which this cottage was built was subdivided for residential lots in 1897.2 Its subdivision reflected the demand for housing experienced in the suburbs bordering the City of Perth and particularly the railway line.

It was the discovery of gold in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in 1892 and 1893 respectively, which provided the most significant impetus to the transformation of the area. The gold boom resulted in a huge influx of people coming to Western Australia. A large number of migrants stayed on in the metropolitan region with many forced to find shelter in make-shift structures. Canvas towns sprang up in various locations around the city. It was these rapid changes that led the active local community to form the Subiaco Road Board in 1896 and the formal gazettal of the municipality in March 1897.3

The substantial growth of the period is reflected in population statistics with numbers leaping from about 100 people in 1895 to approximately 1300 people by mid-1896. Canvas and hessian tents and tin shanties provided temporary accommodation while small timber cottages were built.

As the population of the suburb grew there was a logical demand for services and facilities. The South Subiaco Progress Association was active in its requests to government for a station on the Fremantle line near the newly developing suburb. In September 1908, after ‘years of agitation’ the West Subiaco Station was opened by Premier Newton Moore.4

The first Station Master was Alfred Hislop5 and he remained Station Master until 1911. During that time he lived in Smythe Road and then Onslow Road, Shenton Park. It was the usual practice of the Department of Railways to provide accommodation for their Station Masters. On this occasion it appears that, rental accommodation was organised until it was determined that a house was warranted. In 1915, the Railways Department secured this block of land which had been allocated under the Workers Homes Act for public housing.
A search of the government gazettes did not reveal a tender for the construction or relocation of the house, however with the creation of the reserve in 1915 and the listing of the resident in 1917 it is concluded that the residence was built on the site in 1916/1917. A plan dated 1915, held by the current owner demonstrates that the house was relocated from 684 Wellington Street, West Perth. It is not known when the house was originally built in Wellington Street but the style suggests it was in the 1890s.6 The house remained the property of the Railways Department of the State Government until 1973 when it was acquired by the current owner.7

The first occupant was Station Master, William Ninnes and his wife Jane, nee Lucas. The couple had married in 1903, and William had secured work with the Railways Department at Cottesloe as the night officer before moving to Cannington Station c1912. The couple had five children but sadly, two died; one a girl of eight months died in 19158 whilst the family were at Cannington. The move to West Subiaco as a Station Master was a fresh start for the family.

The Ninnes family remained at the house until 1921, and the subsequent occupant was Edwin Charles Peters (c1879-1940) and his wife Annie Peters, nee Smith (c1878-1949). Their daughter, Leila Ruth Peters, was a music teacher and taught piano and theory from the house.9

The Peters family stayed at the house until 1936 and subsequent Station Masters and their families were John Maltman from 1937 to 1939, and James Thomas
George (c1902-1983) and his wife Doreen Maria, nee Robson from 1940 to the mid-1960s. The place was subsequently occupied by long term railway employee, Noel Johnson, his wife and five children. In 1973, Noel Johnson began the process of acquiring the property which was separated into the house and land. The final stage of the transaction was completed in 2008.
The roof was originally clad in red corrugated iron which was subsequently stripped of the red oxide and painted silver.10

In 1967, the City of Subiaco received an application to build a garage on the property. This is the structure evident to the west of the residence, accessed from the laneway.11

In 1980, the City of Subiaco received an application from the Railways Department for a double garage and patio on the property. This structure accessed from Waylen Road was built by the current owner, Noel Johnson

Since that time the place has changed little in form or extent although minor additions have been made to the rear of the residence. A feature of note is the change of the front verandah cladding from a striped cladding of green and cream to the current zincalume. The current owner has undertaken minor works and regularly maintained the place since his occupancy. These works have included painting the roof and some of the external brickwork, enclosure of the back verandah and installation of an internal toilet and bathroom. The former washhouse and toilet have been enclosed within a shed but the former structures can still be determined within the larger structure.12

In 2005, the Perth Transport Authority began the process of disposing of the property which was achieved in 2008 when it was transferred to the current owner.


In 2006, the State Heritage Office reviewed the place as part of the Government Heritage Property Disposal Process. This review found the place did not have state significance but was likely to have high local significance.

The place is currently used as a residence.

In 2023, the place was sold. Following its sale the new owners have undertaken a series of restoration works to reinstate many original details and remove past alterations. The works have included the removal of paint from the external brick work, reinstatement of tuckpointed details, removal of turned verandah posts to reinstate square timber posts, and clearing the overgrown front yard. A lean-to extension has also been removed.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - Moderate to High: The place is no longer used as the Station Master’s House but is still a residence.
Authenticity - High-Moderate: The original fabric and detail appear to be largely intact. The place has recently undergone a series of restoration works which include the removal of paint from the brickwork and reinstatement of tuckpointed detailing. The works also removed turned timber posts reinstating square verandah posts.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.