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Como Manning 48 House
The house at 48 Manning Road in Como is a good example of how many ordinary suburban homes in Perth quietly evolved over time, shaped by government housing policy, long-term occupation and redevelopment pressure.
Post-war Housing
Constructed in 1955 during a period of rapid post-war expansion in Como, this part of the suburb was being developed through a coordinated government housing rollout.
The house formed part of the broader State Housing Commission development that shaped the streets around McDougall Park. While the area was not formally labelled as an “estate”, the park functioned as the central open space for a planned neighbourhood of modest, standardised homes built to meet post-war housing demand.
Like many Housing Commission homes of the era, the house was practical rather than decorative, set on a large block and intended for long-term rental rather than short-term resale.
Decades as a government-owned home
For approximately 34 years, the property remained under State Housing Commission ownership.
Sold into private ownership
In January 1989, the property was sold into private ownership for $57,000, at a time when Housing Commission homes were being sold off across Western Australia during the late 1980s.
From this point on, the value of the property became increasingly tied to its land size and location, rather than the original mid-century house itself.
Rising land value and redevelopment interest
By the 2010s, Como had changed considerably, with improved transport links, proximity to the Canning Bridge precinct and evolving planning policies driving up land values along Manning Road. Large blocks like this were increasingly valued for their size and location rather than the ageing dwelling itself.
In December 2017, the property sold again, this time for $860,000. By then, marketing focused far more on the development potential of the large block than on the ageing dwelling, which was increasingly viewed as secondary to the site’s future possibilities.
A new use emerging
The upward shift continued when the property sold on 21 May 2021 for $925,000. From this point, the site increasingly sat in the space between “older home” and “future opportunity,” with its value closely tied to what the block could support over time.
The property was subsequently restored back to prime condition. Development application PDDA-2024/233 was lodged with the City of South Perth for an “Outbuilding Addition to Consulting Room”, which was approved in April 2024.
Kookaburra Eye Clinic
Today, the property is occupied by Kookaburra Eye Clinic, a specialist ophthalmology practice providing professional eye care services. The clinic is associated with an experienced eye surgeon and focuses on the assessment and treatment of a wide range of eye conditions, including cataracts, corneal disorders and paediatric eye care.
Como Robert 170 House
The house that stood at 170 Robert Street, Como had a long history that spanned more than six decades, moving from private family ownership to prolonged vacancy, squatter occupation, council intervention and eventual demolition.
A long-held family home
Since the house was built in 1955, it remained in the same family for much of its life. It was owned by George Pruett Thompson, a respected architect and retained within the family for decades rather than being treated as a speculative asset.
In November 1989, Thompson sold the property to his son for $35,000, around eight years before his death at the age of 84. The house continued to remain within extended family ownership, transferring again in September 1998 to another family member for $1.28 million. Throughout this period, the property was not subdivided or redeveloped, reflecting a strong continuity of ownership rather than commercial turnover.
Sold to a development company
The long period of family ownership ended in May 2016, when the property was sold for $1.3 million to Ausmark Developments Pty Ltd.
Ausmark Developments was incorporated just days earlier and appears to have been established specifically to acquire and hold the site, rather than operate as an ongoing development company. It had no public project portfolio, no visible development track record and no public presence.
Company records show Ausmark Developments formed part of a small corporate group, linked to Vamoosh Pty Ltd, which remains registered and is associated with a wide range of other private companies across property, construction and unrelated business sectors. This type of structure is common in property development, where individual sites are held in project-specific companies while overall control sits elsewhere.
Years of vacancy and deterioration
After the 2016 sale, the house was left vacant for an extended period. No redevelopment proceeded and the condition of the property steadily declined. By early 2020s, the empty house had become increasingly vulnerable to damage and squatters. This deterioration did not go unnoticed by neighbours.
Squatters, vandalism and council action
By 2021, the condition of 170 Robert Street, along with neighbouring vacant houses, had escalated into a formal community issue. At an Ordinary Council Meeting of the City of South Perth on 26 October 2021, a petition signed by local residents was formally tabled.
The petition described 170 Robert Street, along with 167 and 169 Robert Street, as derelict houses attracting squatters, contributing to anti-social behaviour and raising concerns about safety for nearby families and properties. Importantly, this was not an isolated or informal complaint. It entered the official council record.
Council minutes show that:
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the properties were unoccupied and unsecured
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there were reports of repeated unauthorised entry
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graffiti, rubbish and visible neglect were present
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enforcement notices were being issued requiring the sites to be secured and cleaned.
While residents requested demolition or clearing of the sites, the City initially pursued compliance and enforcement action, rather than immediate demolition, giving owners time to rectify conditions.
Conditions worsen
Despite council involvement, the situation continued to deteriorate. Squatters occupied the house on and off over time and the damage escalated well beyond simple neglect.
In October 2022, squatters were forcibly removed from No. 170. Their belongings were left piled up on the driveway and the state of the property made the scale of the problem unmistakable. The house was left severely vandalised, with:
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most windows smashed
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extensive graffiti throughout
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debris scattered across the site
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discarded drug paraphernalia.
Corporate deregistration
Just weeks earlier, on 16 October 2022, Ausmark Developments Pty Ltd was deregistered. This has sometimes led to confusion about ownership.
While a deregistered company cannot legally hold property, deregistration does not mean the site became ownerless. The property remained under the control of the same corporate group, with ownership effectively continuing through related entities linked to Vamoosh Pty Ltd.
Demolition and the site today
Given the extent of the damage, ongoing safety concerns and the building no longer being safe for occupation, the house was eventually demolished around December 2023.
Redevelopment prospects
No development proposal has ever been publicly confirmed. Like many large blocks in Como, the site sits within an area shaped by broader planning changes and long-term redevelopment pressure, particularly linked to the Canning Bridge precinct. However, any future development remains subject to planning approval and is yet to be fully realised.
May 2021
October 2022
Como South 1 House
The house at 1 South Terrace, Como sits on a prominent corner within a long-established residential pocket that took shape during Perth’s post-war suburban expansion.
Post-war beginnings
The house was built in 1955, during a period when Como was transitioning from semi-rural land into a settled suburb of modest family homes. Houses from this era were typically brick and tile, single storey and set on large blocks with generous outdoor space. The home formed part of a quiet streetscape that remained largely unchanged for decades.
Subdivision and infill in the late 1990s
By the late 1990s, changing planning policies and rising land values made infill development increasingly common across Como. The original South Terrace block was subdivided during this period, creating three separate lots: 1, 1A and 1B South Terrace. A dwelling was built at 1A South Terrace in 1998, followed by a second new home at 1B in 1999.
Ownership and land use
The original house at No. 1 is now owned by Endean Pty Ltd, a private company established in 1999 and known for property-related activities. The company is not currently registered for GST, which is consistent with holding residential property as a long-term investment, rather than operating an active development business.
Endean Pty Ltd has previously been involved in planning processes within the City of South Perth, including a past development application for a change of use at 256 Mill Point Road South. However, there is no active redevelopment application currently registered for 1 South Terrace itself.
