Original Peaceful Bay

Statement of Significance

The Original Peaceful Bay Settlement has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: • The place is highly valued by the community for its aesthetic character and its relaxed and informal atmosphere. The aesthetic character of the settlement is that of a simple and minimal beachside development of the 1960s and is created by a combination of different factors including a dense grid like pattern of small simple houses; homogeneity of the from and materials of the houses; informality and variety in the setout of the buildings on the blocks; narrow gravel roads; large areas of lawn which flow from the road edge around the houses; large numbers of mature peppermints which provide a canopy of shade throughout the settlement and which surround the settlement; and the absence of other elements apart from a few simple fences. • The place has been the holiday place of many leaseholders over a long period of time. This grouping of like-minded people with a common philosophy and similar lifestyle has created a close-knit community who have a deep sense of attachment to the place. • The place is highly valued by the local community of leaseholders and regular visitors to the area. This was formalised through the formation of the Peaceful Bay Progress Association in 1961. The Association continues provide improved amenities and services through its own fund-raising and labour efforts, as well as by lobbying government authorities. • the place was one of the first subdivisions in Western Australia of leasehold land released for the construction of beach cottages for short-term occupancy and served as a model for later subdivisions; • The place provides a good example of an intact beach shack settlement in Western Australia. As a planned settlement under leasehold conditions, the cottages that make up the Original Peaceful Bay Settlement are not under threat of removal. The majority of squatter shack settlements on the Western Australian coast are not under formal tenure and have been removed as the result of government policy. • The place is representative of the trend towards extended beach-side holidays that emerged in the 1950s as Australian families became more affluent and mobile. In Western Australia, this was exemplified by farmers and graziers from the hinterlands who sought isolated coastal beaches for inexpensive family holidays. As a spot became favoured, many established permanent camps in the form of beach shacks and cottages. The Original Peaceful Bay Settlement provides a good example of this, though it is more formalised than many of the shack settlements on the Western Australian coast.

Physical Description

The original Peaceful Bay Settlement is the original leasehold subdivision of the settlement and consists of 163 small lots which were created incrementally between 1957 and 1964, as a part time holiday destination. The settlement is unique in Western Australia and has its own special character which is that of a relaxed, informal, low-key holiday locations with a predominantly 1960’s aesthetic. The houses are simple inexpensive structure, lacking in ornamentation. The materials and method of construction is homogenous. Most of the houses are timber framed and clad in either cement sheeting or jarrah weatherboards, or a mix of both. Roofs are either low pitched skillions or medium pitched gables and the roof sheeting is usually galvanised corrugated sheeting. The houses are located informally on the blocks, with a wide variety of setbacks to all boundaries, although all the houses are set parallel to the boundaries. There are very few fences. The predominant landscape elements are lawned areas which run between the houses and a large number of mature peppermints. There are few areas where exotic species have been planted.

History

A large proportion of the leaseholders came from the farming communities of the Great Southern, particularly the Kojonup/ Cranbrook/Katanning areas and the area around Manjimup and the Shannon. These rural communities brought the quality of openness to the settlement and their ability to improvise and make do to the construction of the holiday shacks. A large portion of the leases remains with the original leaseholders or their descendants which creates a very strong sense of community. The unique character of the original settlement lies both in its physical appearance and in the very strong sense of community that exists between the people who occupy it. This character is highly valued by the leaseholders and the wider community.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Integrity of a small simple community not seeking rapid progress and change remains intact.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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