Residence, 150 Preston Point Road, East Fremantle

Statement of Significance

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
No 150 Preston Point Road is a two storey house constructed in stone, brick, steel framing and timber cladding with a metal deck roof. It has historic and aesthetic value for its contribution to Richmond Hill's residential building stock. The place contributes to the local community’s sense of place.
The place has considerable aesthetic value as a fine Post-World War II International style house. The place retains a high degree of authenticity and a high degree of integrity.
AESTHETIC SIGNIFICANCE
No 150 Preston Point Road has considerable aesthetic value as a fine Post-World War II International style house. It retains most of the characteristic features of a dwelling of the type and period.
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
No 150 Preston Point Road has considerable historic value. It was part of the suburban residential development associated with the expansion of East Fremantle and the subdivision of Walter Easton’s Estate from 1901. It is a good example of development from the Post-World War II era.
SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE
N/A
SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE
No 150 Preston Point Road has some social value and contributes to the community's sense of place.
RARITY
No 150 Preston Point Road is one of a small number of houses in East Fremantle to have been built in this style. It has survived the late twentieth and early twenty first century wave of renewal.

Physical Description

Post-World War II International

No 150 Preston Point Road is a two storey house constructed in stone, brick, steel framing and timber cladding with a low pitched butterfly pattern roof. It is a fine expression of the Post-World War II International style. The house is planned as a simple rectangular box. The place is raised on a brick ground floor. Two garages are built into the ground floor structure. Adjacent to the garage is the entry door. An important feature of the house is its low pitched butterfly roof. The external walls of the first floor follow the roof line. This allows the roof line to be visible from the side elevations. The walls to the first floor are cladding in timber boards. Openings are punched into the wall planes. On the first floor the roofline, walls and slab extend past the building plane on the north elevation. The extension of these elements forms a simple rectangle which frames the building plane beyond. There is a steel balustrade to the terrace edge and the wall plane is deeply recessed. The wall plane is broken up by timber framed rectangles including glazed windows and doors.
The place retains its form and most of its details.
The place plays an important role in the pattern of development of a middle class suburb.

History

Demographic Settlements: Residential Subdivision

The Richmond Hill Precinct was originally Location 333-336 Swan District which was acquired by John Clayton in 1861-64. As subdivisions occurred throughout East Fremantle new land names were taken from original names and adapted. The Richmond Hill Precinct was once a part of the Richmond Precinct. The Richmond name originated from the town of Richmond in England. Walter Easton, the owner of the Richmond Precinct, had lived in Richmond prior to arriving in Western Australia.
In 1891 the precinct was sold to David Symon and David William Harwood. Symon was an ironmonger, shipping merchant, a senior partner in a firm of merchants and a member of the Legislative Assembly for South Fremantle. Harwood was a prominent businessman, the founder of Harwood Brewery and was known as an avid horse racer. Subdivided lots to the precinct began to sell between 1897 and 1898 following the completion of land surveys. Due to the requirement for the provision of costly services such as water and electricity to the subdivided lots, Symon and Harwood decided to sell the estate in its entirety.
The ‘Brighton Estate’ is identified on a 1903 property map as the area between Preston Point Road and David Street (now Petra Street) including View Terrace and Pier Street. A water tank was located on a site between Pier Street and View Terrace (Lot 43) which was largely chosen for its elevated position. The tank, however, was later replaced in 1977 by a multi-storey water tower which is still present today. Development in the estate progressed very slowly and by 1945 there were only 10 residences in Pier Street.
A small adjoining portion of land from View Terrace to Fraser Street and west of Petra Street was developed in 1919. The development was around the site of the old Bicton Racecourse and was named the ‘Riverside Bicton Estate’. Subdivision of the remaining land in East Fremantle was complete by the 1930s. By this time the land had been significantly developed. During this period developments commenced in Petra Street and a group of Inter-War California Bungalows were built between View Terrace and Preston Point Road. This development period presents a collection of buildings which were constructed within a similar time frame while demonstrating a variety of styles. Developments were of timber and masonry construction with face brick finishes, weatherboard and asbestos cladding. A shortage of building materials following the Depression and WWII led to a more simplified building style and the emergence of the Post-War austerity houses in Richmond Hill.
A later era of development in Richmond Hill occurred around Locke Crescent between the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Many new developments have occurred in the Richmond Hill Precinct in the last 30 years.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: High

Condition

Good

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.