Ruqayyah Snyder
If you're curious about the age of your house in Western Australia, there are several ways to find out. The style of your house may offer a clue—for example, colonial-style homes were typically built in the early to mid-19th century, while modern homes with large windows were likely constructed between the 1950s and 1970s. You can search for your house's address in online databases, such as Trove, which offers digitised copies of old newspapers and can provide information about previous owners. Councils may also have records, including original drawings of the property. Other resources include the National Library of Australia, which may have old rates books, subdivision maps, and directories, as well as the State Library of Victoria, which has directories, maps, and pictures of houses in Melbourne and Victoria. Additionally, looking for a termite management notice in the meter box or checking the back of ceiling sheets for a date of manufacture can provide valuable clues about the construction date.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| House age determination methods | Search the address on Trove and look through old newspaper articles; check with the council; check the local library for records; check realestate.com.au; check the meter box for a termite management notice; check the back of the ceiling sheets for a date of manufacture; check the original power box; check the building plans for a certificate of occupancy; check the building department of the local council for plans; check historical aerial photo services; check Onthehouse; check the documents from the conveyancer; cut a brick in half and count the rings |
| Western Australia's share of the country's oldest homes | 2.16% |
| Average age of homes in Western Australia | Not found |
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What You'll Learn
Search by address on Trove
Trove is a discovery platform that provides access to over 45 million items from the National Library of Australia's collaborative services. It is a great resource for researching the history of your house in Western Australia. Here are some tips for searching by address on Trove:
Search by Address
Start by typing your full address into the Trove search bar. If that doesn't work, try using just the street name and suburb or town. You can also try searching for the name of the street and/or suburb together with keywords like "property", "house", "homes", or "estate". If your house has a name, include that in your search as well. For example, if your address is "17 Lead St, Yass", you could search for "17 Lead St" or just "Lead St Yass".
Use Variations and Keywords
Try different variations of your address and include relevant keywords. For example, you could search for "Jones “Dorset Road" Boronia" if you know the name of a previous owner. You can also try searching for the name of the suburb or area along with the keyword "heritage study".
Explore Different Categories
After entering your keywords, select a category from the drop-down menu on the right-hand side of the search box. This will help narrow down your results.
Utilise Historical Maps and Plans
Trove provides access to historical maps, town plans, land surveys, and subdivision plans. Comparing maps of the same area from different time periods can reveal how your neighbourhood has changed over time. Early town plans may show street names, property boundaries, public facilities, and even the names of owners.
Search Newspapers and Directories
Trove has digitised copies of Australian newspapers from 1803 to 1954. Search these newspapers for your address or the names of previous owners. Post office and telephone directories can also be useful for confirming when and where a person resided at a particular address.
By following these steps and variations thereof, you can effectively search by address on Trove to find information about the history of your house in Western Australia.
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Check old newspapers
Old newspapers can be a treasure trove of information when it comes to researching the history of your house in Western Australia. Here are some tips to help you get started:
Trove
Trove is the National Library of Australia's online portal that provides access to digitised newspapers and gazettes from across the country. With over 350 Victorian and 1000 Australian newspapers dating from 1803 to 1954, Trove is a valuable resource for your research. Simply search for your address, such as "17 Lead St, Yass", and browse through the results. If you don't find anything, try searching for just the street name and suburb, as street numbers may not have been included in older articles. You can also try including the names of previous owners or keywords such as "property", "house", or "estate".
State Libraries
The State Library of Victoria, for example, collects all Victorian newspapers, including suburban, regional, and country publications. They also hold rate books, which often contain valuable information such as the names of owners and occupants, their occupations, addresses, and dates. The State Library of South Australia also provides access to digitised copies of newspaper advertisements and directories.
Local Councils
Your local council may have archived building plans, including floor plans, elevation, and site plans, which can provide insights into the construction and history of your house. They may also hold Council Works Committee Minutes, which include dates of approval for new builds or additions to existing structures.
Other Resources
In addition to newspapers, don't forget to explore other historical records such as maps, directories, and rate books. The Ancestry database, for instance, contains a section on directories for various Australian cities from 1845 to 1948, with digitised copies available for 1868-1899.
By utilising these resources and with a bit of perseverance, you may be able to uncover interesting details, stories, and perhaps even quirky facts about your Western Australian house and its past owners.
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Research building styles
The architecture of Western Australia has been influenced by its history as an English colony in the late nineteenth century. There are several ways to research and identify the style of a building in Western Australia.
Colonial Architecture
Colonial architecture refers to buildings constructed between European settlement in January 1788 and about 1840. Most buildings from this era were simple and plain, influenced by the regulation British military buildings in India and other tropical locations. Common features include hipped or gabled roofs, verandahs supported by wooden columns, and rectangular shapes.
Neoclassical Architecture
During the Georgian era, Neoclassical architecture drew inspiration from Roman and Ancient Greek architecture. This style is characterised by Greek features such as pedimented temples, porticoes, and Greek order columns. Examples of this style in Western Australia include Dalwood House and Government House in Sydney.
Gothic Revival Architecture
During the Victorian era, the Oxford and Cambridge Movements influenced the adoption of Gothic Revival architecture in Australia. This style was inspired by the great cathedrals of the Middle Ages and was used for both residential and commercial structures.
Federation or Edwardian Homes
Federation or Edwardian homes are typically characterised by red brick exteriors, stained glass, bay windows, return verandahs, tessellated tiles, and slate or terracotta tile roofs. They often feature a long central corridor, pressed-metal ceilings, finials, and turned-timber posts.
Art Deco
Art Deco, popular in the inter-war period from the 1920s to 1930s, is known for curved facades, decorative brickwork, geometric elements, chevron patterns, metal-framed windows, and parquetry floors.
Mid-century Modernism
Mid-century Modernism, associated with architect Harry Seidler, is characterised by large expanses of glass, open-plan layouts, built-in joinery, and a strong connection to the outdoors.
In addition to these styles, the building plans, application records, and archives in local councils and libraries can provide valuable information for researching the style and history of a building in Western Australia.
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Look at historical maps
Maps are an invaluable resource for researching the history of your house. The National Library of Australia (NLA) has a Map Search feature that allows you to explore historical maps overlaid on modern maps in fine detail, helping you understand how your local region has evolved.
To get started, you can create an account, log in, and geolocate maps to identify features like schools, mills, missions, property blocks, and cemeteries. The NLA also has a collection of digitised certificates of title, which often include little maps and details about the land, such as whether there was a building or improvement.
The State Library of Victoria is another excellent resource, with over 10,000 plans, many of which are digitised. The library's Maps for Local and Family History Research Guide provides instructions on finding these plans in the catalogue. Additionally, the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) collection contains detailed records about houses in and around Melbourne, with online maps maintained by Land Victoria for current-day buildings.
Newspapers are also a valuable source of information on land sales, real estate developments, specific buildings, and designs. Trove, a digital library service, provides access to over 350 Victorian and 1000 Australian newspapers from 1803 to 1954. It also offers historical maps, town plans, land surveys, and subdivision plans, enabling you to trace the evolution of your neighbourhood.
Historical almanacs, such as Walch's Tasmanian Almanac or Waugh's Australian Almanac, can also be a useful resource for learning about your hometown and understanding the broader context of your house's history.
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Check local council records
To find out the age of your house in Western Australia, you can check the local council records. Here are some steps you can follow:
- Identify the local council: Determine which local council your property falls under. This information can be found through online maps maintained by Land Victoria for current-day buildings.
- Contact the council: Reach out to the identified local council and inquire about historical information regarding your property. You can request a copy of any building plans, permits, or approvals they have on file. There may be a small fee for obtaining these records.
- Utilize council archives: Many councils maintain archives that can provide valuable information. Search for council records such as rates assessment books, health inspector's reports, council meeting minutes, and almanacs or directories. These records can offer insights into previous owners, property values, and any improvements or additions made to the property over time.
- Explore digital resources: Some councils provide online mapping services or historical satellite images that can help pinpoint when your house was constructed. Additionally, the South Australian Integrated Land Information System (SAILIS) offers tutorials to guide your search for historical land ownership records.
- Review development applications: If your house is heritage-listed, you may be able to access development applications and plans through Heritage South Australia or similar organizations. These records can provide details on the history of your house and any alterations.
- Examine historical maps: Councils often possess historical maps that can illustrate changes in street layouts and property boundaries over time. Comparing these maps with the current layout can help determine when your house was established.
By leveraging the resources available through your local council, you can piece together the history of your house and establish its approximate age. Remember that the availability and depth of council records may vary depending on factors such as the age of your house and the record-keeping practices of the council.
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