House, 20 Spring Road

Statement of Significance

House, 20 Spring Road, has historic value as a rare representative example of homes in the Thornlie area prior to the subdivision and development in the 1950s when the area was primarily used for agriculture.

Physical Description

The single storey brick residence has a hipped corrugated iron roof. The verandahs are under the main roof at break pitch, and supported by square timber posts. A face brick front boundary fence obscures views of the place in addition to a mature jacaranda tree within the front setback.

History

This was one of the houses built in Thornlie, before it was developed in the 1950s and named Thornlie. The locality consisted of rural properties and natural bush. Spring Road was named for the local springs and the area was designated as Kenwick at this time. Information from aerial photographs of 1953 and 1965 indicate that this residence was located within a large landholding that occupied all the land south of Spring Road from Thornlie Avenue on the west to the Canning River on the east. Within the landholding were several farm buildings and cultivated cleared fields and some modest orchard plantings. The original owner or occupier of this land has not been determined. In September 1954, the 1,715-acre property of the former Thornlie Park Estate, was put up for auction in two lots, and the first development took place on 228 acres of Lot 1, purchased by D. and M. O'Sullivan. The area was aimed mainly at middle-income earners and inner city dwellers. There were forty houses completed by March 1957 and one hundred by May 1958.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High degree: continual residential Authenticity: Moderate degree (verandah enclosures are visible)

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

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