He was a bachelor and his land in Perth was administered by his brother Charles Alexander Manning, who arrived in the colony in 1854 and subsequently became mayor of Fremantle.

In 1936/37 167 acres was sold by the family to the Christian Brothers for the construction of Aquinas College.

The suburb was subdivided in 1948, initially being named The Manning Estate.

[2] Manning is 7 kilometres south of the Perth central business district and is within close proximity of Curtin University.

The area has abundant green open spaces and is close to the Canning River foreshore.