House

Statement of Significance

Significant property with historical and architectural values.

Physical Description

Large rambling single-storey house on L-shaped plan with verandahs on three sides. The original house was built about 1903 (according to the present owner), and an extension was added about 1991 in a style sympathetic to the original. The walls are constructed of brick, with two horizontal stucco bands running around the south-eastern sides, with decorative gable ends above. A verandah runs the whole length of the north-western side, with four pairs of French doors opening onto the verandah. A small verandah runs the whole length of the north-western side had been enclosed with weatherboards. There is a small round arched entrance porch recessed into the wall on this side. There is a small round-arched entrance porch recessed into the wall on this side. The main entrance door is on the north-eastern side of the building and is surrounded by a decorative frame with a fanlight above and two flanking windows on the left side. There are stained glass leadlights in the fanlight and upper flanking window. The house is roofed with Marseilles pattern clay tiles imported from France and stamped with the name of the French manufacturer. Some parts of the roofing timbers are in bad condition and are sagging, apparently having been affected by damp owing to Virginia creeper being allowed to grow over the roof and lift the tiles. The verandah floors on the north-western and north-eastern sides which were probably originally of wood have been replaced with brick laid on sand fill.

History

The house was built by Mr Hillman and occupied by his son, who was chair of the Metropolitan Water Board. The house remained in the ownership of the Hillman family until 1968, when it was bought by the sister of Rodney Anderson, a former Swan Shire Councillor. The house is set in grounds over 4,100 sqm and has a beautiful setting overlooking the wooded flood plain of the Swan and Helena Rivers. The riverside land originally formed part of the property but has been resumed by the WA Planning Commission for conservation and parks and recreation purposes. There are a number of old exotic and native trees on the property, including a bunya pine, white mulberry and a very large flood gum. The owner says that the layout of the rose garden on the north-eastern side of the house, and the rose bushes themselves, date from the time house was built. The cement paths appear to date from the 1930s. The house is screened from Wilkie Street by a dense row of large shrubs and trees, but the south-western side of the house is visible from Kidman Avenue.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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