Maniana Precinct

Statement of Significance

The area of Queens Park previously known as Maniana is of State and local heritage significance as one of the earliest State Housing Commission estates established in the early 1950s to provide low cost rental housing during a period of housing shortage after World War II. Significant aspects of the area include the street layout and the existing housing stock. Elements remaining from the original development of the area in the early 1950s are signficant. Improvements to the individual houses and units and landscaping undertaken in the late 1970s are also significant reflecting the history and development of the area over time. Maniana is significant as it illustrates a period in the development of public housing in Western Australia from the 1950s to the present. The individual houses are significant as they provide examples of public housing from that period.The significance of the area is increased by the fact that it remained relatively intact from the 1950s. By 2014 however many of these houses had been demolished as part of the Quattro redevelopment.

Physical Description

Today Maniana forms a part of the suburb of Queens Park. The area is characterised by attractively landscaped narrow tree-lined streets. The single houses, duplex and quadruplex units constructed in the 1950s and upgraded in the late 1970s remain largely intact. The area retains evidence of the original SHC 1950s street layout with cul-de-sacs, corner houses located on the diagonal and other planning features which give the area a sense of cohesion. The area is today a largely intact and well maintained example of an early post World War II public housing estate. In the early 2000s the area was redeveloped and many houses demolished and a new street layout installed. The name chosen for the redevelopment was Quattro. The project was undertaken by the State Department of Housing. Many of the original post-war houses have now (2014) been demolished.

History

The name Maniana; meaning tomorrow in Spanish; was given to the area in 1954 by the Minister for Housing. It was taken from the 1840 Aboriginal dictionary by Sir George Grey and was believed to have been adopted into the local language by Aboriginal people from Spanish sailors in the Albany region. ( The West Australian 27/6/1956) During the 1950s and 60s the area was characterised by the development of community groups including the Maniana Progress Association who undertook civic projects such as tree planting in the area. The Progress Association was also successful in lobbying for a community hall. The hall provided was an old RAAF building from Guildford which was adapted and moved to George St Maniana. (The West Australian 9/5/1956) By the late 1950s and however the area had deteriorated and the Chairman of the Canning Road Board described Maniana as a slum. (The West Australian 26/7/1959) There was considerable conflict between the Canning Road Board and the State Housing Commission regarding responsibility for roads, footpaths, services and community facilities etc. Various agreements were reached and minor improvements carried out. (The West Australian July to Dec. 1959) By the late 1970s the situation regarding Maniana had become critical. There was considerable concern at Council level and a number of press reports in both the local paper and The West Australian , linking the social problems in the area with the physical environment. The Canning Council's Welfare Officer quoted from a confidential report leaked to the local press in November 1977 said "Maniana is in every respect a deprived community. Maniana has a physical and social environment which is damaging to its inhabitants." (Southern Focus; Nov. 1977) The main problems in the area were related to the problem of resolving areas of Council and SHC responsibility and a lack of community facilities in an area with a large number of young households. As a result of increasing concern a $2.3million State funded project to upgrade Maniana was instigated as a joint SHC and Canning Council initiative. The 300 housing units were upgraded, roads and footpaths were improved, and a landscaping and tree planting program was introduced and a community centre with numerous facilities and services was established. In an attempt to give the area a new image the name Maniana was officially replaced by Queens Park. (The West Australian 7/7/1978)

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