West Island Elevated Houses

The West Island Elevated Houses are heritage-listed houses at Orion Close, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.[1]

West Island Elevated Houses
West Island Elevated Houses is located in Earth
West Island Elevated Houses
Location of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeHouses for government employees
LocationOrion Close, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands
CountryAustralia
Coordinates12°11′38″S 96°50′00″E / 12.1940°S 96.8333°E / -12.1940; 96.8333
Completedc. 1950 (1950)s
ClientAustralian Government
Technical details
MaterialCement asbestos
Map
Official nameWest Island Elevated Houses
TypeListed place (Historic)
Designated22 June 2004
Reference no.105359

History

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The West Island Elevated Houses were built during the 1950s as part of the establishment of housing for Australian Government employees administering the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The houses were built as part of the West Island housing settlement.[1]

Description

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The West Island Elevated Houses are the last houses to the south of the West Island Housing Area. There are two houses clad in cement asbestos and have a plan form and design suited to local climatic conditions. Most have distinctive raking on end walls and there are several variations on the "Type 2" plan which have been achieved by lengthening the base plan. The houses mainly have three bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and living room with a large hall leading onto the front porch. There is a separate laundry out the back of the house. The Shire Clerk's house has a large added verandah to the west.[1]

In 2000 the condition of the houses was assessed as still being good.[1]

Heritage listing

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The West Island Elevated Houses are significant for their association with the establishment of housing for Australian Government employees administering the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The presence of the Australian Government assisted the self determination of the Cocos Malay people. The houses are significant in the development of the West Island settlement which grew after Government House was located on West Island in 1953.[1]

The Elevated Houses are significant as examples of Australian Government housing on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands with a plan form and design suited to local climatic conditions. The two houses are larger variations of standard "Type 2" houses and their siting to the far south of West Island, near the administrator's residence, indicates their important status on the Islands.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "West Island Elevated Houses (Place ID 105359)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 May 2019.

Bibliography

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Attribution

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  This Wikipedia article was originally based on West Island Elevated Houses, entry number 105359 in the Australian Heritage Database published by the Commonwealth of Australia 2019 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 15 May 2019.