Dianella Alexander Duplex Units

Sometimes nights is the only chance to photograph places before they’re gone, what with work taking up most of the day and potentially a hundred or so demolition permits being approved each month.

I’m pretty sure Night Mode was, for some reason, turned off on my phone so my photos are a bit dodge but it sure wasn’t a place I wanted to hang around. The smell alone screamed ‘feral squatters’, with the typical needles scattered around the rooms of the units as well as around the outside areas.

No.336 was the first unit I entered and it certainly felt like a squatter was barricading themselves in one of the rooms. For some reason, I had the idea it was a male and female but either way, I got in and got out. At times, I feel bad for walking around their makeshift homes, although in this case, it wasn’t until the end of my walk-thru did I feel their presence.

When photographing places squatters call home, if nobody photographs how they live or what life is like for them from an imagery point of view, they might as well not have existed, even though everyone has a story to tell.

Alan Bond

Arriving in Perth from England at the age of 11, Alan Bond was to become one of the “biggest and most powerful businessmen in Australia”.

Despite having issues with his spelling, he began working as an apprentice sign writer and would go on to establish Bond Corporation, the 17th biggest enterprise in Australia, dabbling in many industries including “brewing, media, property, energy and gold companies”.

As a result of his companies borrowing too heavily, Bond Corporation went into administration and Bond went bankrupt in 1992.

Alan Bond died aged 77 in 2015, following complications from heart surgery.

I didn’t really try no.338 other than to take photos of the backyard, particularly as there was a current neighbour next door.

I got bad vibes from the living room entrance of 334B and was almost certain that someone was also squatting in the main part of the house, so I didn’t stay any longer and just wanted to go. The place made me feel so dirty and I figured it’d be much better, for both photos and safety, to just return during the day (despite not having any idea of how long it would be before all the units were demolished).

In the end, I didn’t have any desire to go back, especially as it was the least of my priorities, compared to nicer places that would soon become demolished.

Embleton High School

Established in 1961, Embleton High School was located at 160 Drake Street, Morley. It was renamed John Forrest High School in 1963.

Sometime during the late 1960s, Embleton High School was severely overcrowded. Records from February 1969 show that 1,436 students were enrolled at the school.

Even though Hampton High School has been established in 1966 and in close proximity, it didn’t help. A new high school was needed and it was to be called Morley High School. Despite a location yet to be chosen for construction of this new school, it began with nine demountables and 250 students on the grounds of John Forrest. Whilst it had its own staff, principal and P&C Association, it continued to share the canteen, library and sports facilities with John Forrest.

Upon becoming an Independent Public School in 2011, John Forrest High School was renamed John Forrest Secondary College.

Property History

No. 334 Alexander Drive was constructed in 1972 on a 1,128m² block of land, with both 334A and 334B units comprising of two bedrooms and one bathroom.

336-338 was also constructed in the same year on a 1,070m² block of land, also with two bedrooms and one bathroom each.

All four units were sold on: