House

Statement of Significance

House, 334 Wharf Street, Queens Park, a timber-framed, fibrous cement clad and terracotta tile roofed house, is significant for the following reasons:
It is an example of prefabricated housing built in the Post-War period of material shortages and austerity; and,
It contributes to the community’s sense of place as a tangible reminder of the City of Canning’s growth in the Post-War period.
ASSESSMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE
Aesthetic Value:
House, 334 Wharf Street makes some contribution to the streetscape as an example of a Post-War Austerity Cottage.
Historic Values:
House, 334 Wharf Street is representative of the period of growth in Queens Park immediately following World War II when the suburb grew rapidly.
Social Values:
House, 334 Wharf Street contributes to the community’s sense of place as a tangible reminder of the history and development of the City of Canning.
Rarity:
The place is an increasingly rare example of a Post-War timber framed, fibrous cement clad house.
Representativeness:
The place is a representative example of a Post-War Austerity Cottage typical in Queens Park built during the 1950s and 1960s.

Physical Description

House, 334 Wharf Street is a timber framed, fibrous cement clad, single story house with a hipped, terracotta tiled roof. It is on timber stumps, with the underfloor space enclosed by timber battens. There is a red face brick chimney at the south east end.
The house addresses the corner intersection of Wharf and Elshaw Streets, and the lot is roughly a diamond shape. The front verandah has been enclosed at both ends with glazed doors, fibrous cement cladding and louvres. Central cement steps lead up to a porch.
Mature trees and plants obscure views of the house from the street. There is a low corrugated fibrous cement fence around both street boundaries.
Comparative places:-
House, 334 Wharf Street is rare as a surviving example of a Post- War house, fibrous cement clad house that seems likely to have been privately built; and not following a SHC plan. In the City of Canning housing of this materiality and era are increasingly being demolished to make way for more liveable and amenable housing.

History

Queens Park was originally called Woodlupine, after Woodlupine Creek. This was named by colonial British settlers in recognition of the heavily treed woods and an abundance of lupin flowers. The railway station opened in 1899. The suburb’s name changed in 1912 to Queens Park, said to honour Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII. Later, some of it became East Cannington and St James.
The Queens Park Primary School opened in 1906 to serve children of the surrounding area, which was made up of rural properties such as poultry farms, piggeries, market gardens and orchards. Sister Kate’s was established in 1934, at that time only accessible via a sandy track. It was not until the Post-War period that the rural nature of Queens Park changed
into the residential suburb, with rapid growth and development occurring from 1950 into the 1960s.
Aerial photographs show that 334 Wharf Street was built between 1953 and 1965. It is not typical of the State Housing Commission (SHC) housing, which were common in Queens Park and usually are rectangular in floor plan. It has a square footprint, addresses the corner, and is built with the Post-War materials of fibrous cement cladding and tiles.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High
Authenticity - Moderate

Condition

Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

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.