A commercial operation at historic Duffy House in Woodvale could be a step closer after the City of Joondalup opened an Expression of Interest (EOI) for commercial operators interested in activating the City’s oldest surviving building.
Duffy House is a single-storey limestone cottage with brick corner detailing and a corrugated iron roof.
The Duffy family were early Wanneroo settlers, and the house was originally constructed between 1911 and 1913 within Yellagonga Regional Park, adjacent to Beenyup Swamp.
While occupied continuously for several decades, Duffy House was abandoned around 2009 before being acquired by the West Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) in 2015.
In 2018, Joondalup Council announced it would manage the site and began to undertake restoration work, with financial support in the form of a grant from the Commission. Today, completed works include:
- installation of security fencing, partial demolition and remedial works to the Old Dairy
- installation of power, water and future communication supplies, roof replacement, structural repairs and new window installation
- flooring repairs and internal painting
- construction of a car park, single access road, and surrounding bollards
- installation of conservation fencing
- path connection from Hocking Road to Duffy House
- revegetation works.
Joondalup Deputy Mayor Adrian Hill said the move was an exciting opportunity for a commercial operator to create a unique tourist attraction that would draw tourists to Yellagonga Regional Park, often referred to as the “Kings Park of the North.”
“Duffy House is one of our last surviving links to pastoral land use in the Wanneroo and Joondalup area,” he said.
“Any development for future use would need to consider activities important to the community, preservation of cultural, heritage and environmental values, and potential revenue to help support site management.”
“The community has told us they would like to see more happen with this important site. Our role is now to explore all options in a responsible way that preserves the rich history and heritage values of Duffy House.”
The Duffy House site is designated as Parks and Recreation area under the Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS), the WA planning framework used in the Perth metropolitan area.
Any application for development approval under the MRS will be determined by the WAPC, with the City providing a recommendation on the application.
The EOI period runs between Monday 16 September-Monday 14 October (2pm WST).
Interested parties can access the EOI documents and make a submission through the City’s e-procurement portal at TenderLink.