Squatters, a million-dollar Northbridge heritage home and a missing owner

Nestled between a car wash and a row of four-storey apartments, the quaint 1900s workers cottage overlooking Russell Square is one of the few reminders of Northbridge’s history.

The three-bedroom, one-bathroom home at 47 Shenton Street was one of several built following the 1890s gold rush, a period which underpinned the development of what is now a bustling entertainment hub.

The home is believed to have been constructed in 1908 and occupied by former Quairading farmer Harry Archibald Hubble, who left the Wheatbelt town after his family business went bust to work as a pharmacist on nearby King Street.

Over the past century, the streetscape has changed dramatically.

The last remaining cluster of million-dollar 1880s to 1920s single-storey, brick-and-iron heritage homes and commercial buildings lining the adjacent Aberdeen Street and bookended by St Brigid’s Church are now protected under state heritage laws.

So, too, are the prominent landmarks in the vicinity, including the Fitzgerald Hotel and the Brass Monkey pub.

However, Hubble’s humble home was left off the register.

It sat vacant for years before receiving a fresh coat of white paint to cover its graffiti in 2020.

Now the home is shielded by fabric and tarpaulins draped over the front fence, with windows and doors broken and squatters occupying the property, which is now in a derelict state.