Triangle Conservation Area

Child Places

• 25973 House
• 25912 Kings Road Heritage Area, Subiaco
• 25982 Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The Triangle is bounded by Churchill Avenue, Thomas Street, Nicholson Road, the eastern boundary of property on the eastern side of Rokeby Road and the eastern boundary of the Town Centre Precinct. It is significant as an area with a history of residential settlement dating back to the late nineteenth century. The area is significant for:
its role as one of the areas of residential development close to the Subiaco town centre on Rokeby Road from the early 1900s;
its very high concentration of intact residential buildings from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century;
its numerous examples of very fine homes in the Federation Bungalow and Federation Queen Anne architectural styles in particular;
its tree-lined streetscapes of substantial residential buildings from the early twentieth century with established gardens;
its emergence as a prestigious residential area in the last two decades of the twentieth century resulting in examples of conservation of existing housing stock and the construction of contemporary infill development of considerable architectural quality.

Physical Description

The Triangle Conservation Area includes the area identified in City of Subiaco Town Planning Scheme as the Triangle Precinct. The area is bounded by Churchill Avenue, Thomas Street, Nicholson Road, the eastern boundary of property on the eastern side of Rokeby Road and the eastern boundary of the Town Centre Precinct.
The area is subdivided on a rectangular grid of roads and lots. The area is divided by Bagot Road which is a major traffic route. All the streets through the area are residential in character.
The area generally comprises narrow residential roads with grass verges and concrete slab pavements. There is regular planting of mature street trees of various species which contribute to the quality of the streetscapes. Houses are generally set back equally from the street but with only a small area for front gardens. The majority of the area is served by back lanes which are commonly used for parking with the result that relatively few houses, especially on narrower streets, have vehicular access from the street. Fences were traditionally low (900mm - 1200mm) post and woven wire, brick or pickets. Some more recent higher (1800mm) fences have been constructed.
The area contains a very high concentration of early homes and intact streetscapes. Traditional houses are single storey masonry or rendered masonry construction with corrugated iron or tiled roofs, and porches or verandahs. Typically houses are of the Federation Bungalow or Queen Anne style. There are some timber framed weatherboard and iron houses in the area however they are generally interspersed with masonry homes. There are also some pairs of attached cottages which date from the early 1900s.
There are a large number of very fine homes dating from per first decades of the twentieth century featuring fine and elaborate detailing including verandahs with turned posts and timber fretwork, half timbered gables, leadlight front doors and windows. A number of these homes have been conserved and restored. There are also numerous examples of well cared for mature gardens.
SEE ALSO SEPARATE ENTRIES FOR PLACES WITHIN THIS CONSERVATION AREA.

History

The earliest development in the Triangle was, naturally, closest to the Hay Street commercial centre. Churchill Avenue and Barker Road, and the side streets such as Axon Street, Townshend Road, Olive Street and Coghlan Road, were mostly developed by 1905. Development then spread into the central area between Bagot and Heytesbury Roads by 1915, followed by the southern portion, along Thomas Road.
One of the first land releases was Berry Brow Estate which extended from Rokeby to Townshend Roads, between Hay St and Barker Road. It was marketed as the 'Toorak of Perth.' Others were Bowral Park (1896), the north east corner of the Triangle around Barker and Coghlan Roads, and Parkerville Estate, the stretch of Townshend Road between Barker and Bagot Roads. The area has always been predominately residential, and indeed, the Triangle gained a reputation in the early days as being a prestigious area - workers settled along the railway line, and the more affluent moved up the hill to what was perceived as the better part of Subiaco.
One of the earliest public buildings in the area was the Home of the Peace, on Hamersley Road and Thomas Street, which opened in 1902. Other public buildings include St Andrew's and St Catherine's churches.
Thomas Street was gazetted by 1883, and named after Mr J H Thomas, Director of PWD.
(Sources: Wise's Post Office Directory 1905-1925; Real Estate Maps, Battye Library Collection; Spillman, Ken, Identity Prized: A History of Subiaco, City of Subiaco, UWA Press, 1985, p. 74; Chate, A, H., History of Subiaco, c1952; Moore, D., Subiaco - Attitudes and Ecological Succession, no date, c 1980.)

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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.