Shortly before the Second World War, the Perrons were inspired by a magazine illustration of a Florida Art Deco house design. Construction of the 1930s design was delayed until 1954 because of wartime restrictions.[1] Building materials were rationed during the war, and the design of Blue Waters involved a greater quantity of brickwork and glass than the quotas allowed. To overcome the handicap, Keith Perron established a brickworks.[2] Other technical challenges could not be met in Australia, the curved glass windows and frames having to be shipped from the U.K.[2]
The house became both a social hub and a landmark outside which tour buses would regularly pause.[1] On a return trip from Darwin, the Perrons' two young sons brought back two baby crocodiles in a shoe box, and set up a small pond in the backyard for them. One was later donated to the Perth Zoo after venturing outside the property.[2] Daughter Judith had a modelling career and used the house for photographic shoots. A cousin, Marshall Perron lived there for a while as a young man before establishing himself as a Northern Territory politician and chief minister.
In 1961 the house, complete with its original furniture, was sold to Joy and Eric Lillingston for £A 12,500,[2] equivalent to A$407,000 in 2022.
In 1965, it was bought by a bookmaker named Botica, and later by a Mr Sowden who was the deputy mayor of Fremantle.[2] In the 1970s, the Norvillas family acquired it and stayed for 35 years before selling in 2006 to David Cavanagh.[2] Cavanagh contacted the original owners for their advice in restoring the property to its original condition.[2]
The house was listed on the Municipal Heritage Inventory of the City of South Perth in December 1994, affording it a "high level of protection" under the City of South Perth Town Planning Scheme.[3] The statement of significance for the house's registration noted its "aesthetic, representative and rarity cultural heritage significance".[4]
The house has been featured in a number of films, including The Reckoning, a 2014 crime thriller, which starred Jonathan LaPaglia, Luke Hemsworth and Viva Bianca.
