Woodlands

Woodlands is part of the original "Woodlands Estate" which was owned by John Daniel Manning.  The Manning family ran a dairy in South Perth and built a holiday house in the area, as well as using the land for summer paddocks for the dairy cattle.  The wetlands in the area meant the grass grew for most of the summer.

Part of the area which is now Woodlands was originally assigned to Thomas William Mews in 1831. However, as Mews could not fulfil the location duties, the grant passed to T.R.C. Walters in 1840. It was later part of the extensive lands owned by John Daniel Manning, a dairy farmer from South Perth who built a holiday home in this area, and leased land for his dairy herds to graze during the summer: the chain of wetlands in existence at this time meant that grass grew around them for most of the year. In 1842 the locality was recorded as "Jackadup", which was the Aboriginal name for the area. This was later adapted to "Jackadder", the name which is still borne by the lake at the centre of Woodlands. Jackadder Lake was first recorded as "Mews Lake" in 1831 and provides a local recreation area.

Development in Woodlands began in earnest in the 1960's and growth is still occurring, as the Floreat Lakes Estate to the southeast was only subdivided in 1991. Many of the streets in Woodlands are named after trees such as oak, elm, birch, sandalwood, and willow.

The dominant type of dwelling in Woodlands is the single detached home, though duplex developments are beginning to be established in the area. The prolonged development of Woodlands has ensured a varied mix of housing designs. Many of the dwellings are built of brick and date from the 1960's and 1970's, while an increasing number of homes in the new estates are architecturally designed.

Under the Town Planning scheme operating in 1962, six acres of land were set aside for the primary school in Woodlands.  The consolidated block was obtained by resuming land from current owners and from land held by the Housing Commission.  Lots in adjacent subdivision were transferred to the Shire of Perth for recompense the former owners of the resumed land. Near the corner of Scarborough Beach Road and Liege Street was the site of the Metro drive-in theatre for many years.