Duffy House, Woodvale

Statement of Significance

Duffy House (fmr), Woodvale, comprising a single storey iron, brick and limestone cottage (1911-1913), and a ruinous limestone dairy building (1925) has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:

• the place is a representative example of the development of the market gardening and dairying industries in Western Australia in the early 20th century;
• the place is a rare, representative example of the practice of cottage market gardening in the wetland areas along the Swan Coastal Plain;
• the place is likely to yield information, through archaeological investigation, about the former use of the site as a market garden, as a dairy, and as a simple worker’s residence since the early twentieth century;
• the place is a good example of vernacular architecture, combining Federation and Georgian elements applied to a rural residence; and
• the place has aesthetic value as it retains much of its original open wetland setting within Yellagonga Regional Park, which is becoming less common in the State due to increased urbanisation.

Physical Description

Duffy House (fmr), Woodvale comprises a single storey cottage built 1911-1913, and a ruinous dairy, built 1925 located approximately 100m to the south west. It sits in an open rural setting between Beenyup Swamp and Lake Goollelal.

The cottage is a simple corrugated iron, red brick and limestone residence constructed in a vernacular style, incorporating Federation and Georgian elements. The front has a symmetrical façade with centrally placed door flanked by sash windows. The interior layout, commencing from the front entrance, includes a hallway connecting two front rooms and former kitchen to
the rear, with another room situated adjacent to the kitchen.

The former dairy is a simple limestone rubble building in a ruinous condition. Situated on a raised earth platform, the entrance faces east toward Beenyup Swamp. A single window opening exists on the northern side.

History

In 1909, after having already managed the place since 1890, a portion of George Shenton’s Perthshire Location 103 holding (Lots 24 and 25) was transferred to Barney Duffy. In 1912, his son Frederick John Duffy (1875-1924) purchased Lot 25, comprising just over 25 acres. Frederick employed a local builder, George Dawson, to construct a family residence on Lot 25, which is now known as Duffy House, Woodvale. By 1913, the house was complete and comprised four rooms with a front verandah, built of local limestone sourced from the quarry at Perry’s Paddock, Cottage and Stables (P09484). A ceiling was never constructed, as Frederick, on advice from a local doctor, believed that it would be healthier not to do so.

Frederick Duffy and his wife, Eva Matilda nee Cockman, lived in a stone cottage further up the Wanneroo Road at the 13-mile peg so it is assumed the house was never occupied by them. Frederick Duffy was the first secretary of the Wanneroo Roads Board (1903-1924) and he and the extended Duffy family were prominent members of the community.

The proximity of the land to Beenyup Swamp, as well as reference to contemporary historical land titles, suggests that the Duffy’s market garden may have been located south east of the cottage. However, given that the Duffy family owned land parcels surrounding the original allotment, there is the potential that the market garden area extended elsewhere (and may not be located within the current boundaries of the place).

After Frederick Duffy’s death in 1924, Eva and the young family were unable to maintain the vegetable garden and abandoned it in favour of establishing a dairy. In 1925, the Duffy family established the dairy in a building 100m to the south west of the cottage.
In later years, despite most of the Duffy children leaving the family house, the second youngest son, John, remained and ran the dairy with his brother Bernard (Bob), who from 1955 until the mid-1980s was the owner of Perry’s Paddock, Cottage and Stables. The dairy continued production until 1976.

In the 2000s, an area of Woodvale, including Duffy House, was ceded to the City of Joondalup. This meant that the Duffy House became, by default, the oldest extant residence in Joondalup.

The archaeological record of the place is likely to be highly intact. As the site was occupied as a private residence until c. 2009 and no major development has been undertaken within Yellagonga Regional Park, limited ground disturbance has occurred. Some elements of the dairy have been removed; however, this appears to have involved the removal of above-ground features and is therefore unlikely to have impacted on the archaeological potential relating to the dairy. Some archaeological potential inside the kitchen may be compromised, as vandalism has disturbed the original floorboards and underlying ground.

In 2019, conservation works were undertaken for the building, including a new roof and verandah. The dairy was partially deconstructed as the structure was unsafe. Material from the dairy has been retained onsite for future use. Architectural plans of the conservation work and progress pictures are available from the City of Joondalup.

In 2023, the City of Joondalup and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions will commence works within Yellagonga Regional Park and the Duffy House site to support improved access, path connections and revegetation activities. Proposed works include a pathway connecting Duffy Terrace and Duffy House, widening of the existing entry road to Duffy House, and revegetation works to the south. The City of Joondalup will be progressing an expression of interest for a potential commercial operator

Condition

Fair - assessed from street view only

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.