West Island Elevated Houses

West Island Elevated Houses
West Island Elevated Houses
	Location of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Houses for government employees
Location	Orion Close, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Country	Australia
Coordinates	12°11′38″S96°50′00″E / 12.1940°S 96.8333°E Coordinates: 12°11′38″S96°50′00″E / 12.1940°S 96.8333°E
Completed	c. 1950s
Client	Australian Government
Technical details
Material	Cement asbestos
Commonwealth Heritage List
Official name	West Island Elevated Houses
Type	Listed place (Historic)
Designated	22 June 2004
Reference no.	105359

Last updated January 29, 2022

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]

History

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

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

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]

Related Research Articles

West Island, part of the South Keeling Islands, is the capital of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean. The population is roughly 120 making it the third smallest capital in the world, and consists mainly of Europeans. It is less populous than Home Island, the only other inhabited island.

The West Island Mosque is a heritage-listed mosque at Alexander Street, West Island, of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an external territory of Australia. The mosque was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Home Island Industrial Precinct is a heritage-listed industrial area at Jalan Bunga Mawar, Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Direction Island Slipway and Tank are heritage-listed industrial remnants at Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. The site was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Six Inch Guns are a heritage-listed former battery at Horsburgh Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The West Island Housing Precinct is a heritage-listed residential area at Air Force Road, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

Oceania House is a heritage-listed house at Jalan Bunga Kangkong, Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

Government House is a heritage-listed official residence at Qantas Close, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The RAAF Memorial is a heritage-listed war memorial at West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Qantas Huts are heritage-listed former accommodation huts at Sydney Highway, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. They were added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Home Island Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery at Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Administration Building Forecourt is a heritage-listed garden and memorial precinct at Morea Close, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Type 2 Residences are six heritage-listed houses at Air Force Road, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

Direction Island (DI) Houses is a heritage-listed houses at Air Force Road, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

Captain Ballards Grave is a heritage-listed burial place at Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Early Settlers' Graves are heritage-listed burial places at Jalan Kipas, Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Home Island Foreshore is a heritage-listed cultural landscape at Jalan Panti, Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Type T Houses Precinct is a heritage-listed residential area at William Keeling Crescent and Qantas Close, West Island Settlement, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

The Old Co-op Shop is a heritage-listed retail building at Jalan Bunga Mawar, Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

School of Musketry is a heritage-listed former military installation at 431 Lloyd Street, Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 "West Island Elevated Houses (Place ID 105359)". Australian Heritage Database . Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment . Retrieved 15 May 2019.

Bibliography

Allom Lovell Marquis-Kyle Architects Pty Ltd (1996). Cocos (Keeling) Islands Heritage Study. Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.
Allom Lovell Marquis-Kyle Architects Pty Ltd (1994). Lot 14 Home Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Bunce, P. (1988). The Cocos (Keeling Islands) Australian Atolls in the Indian Ocean.
Nairn, B. (1986). Searle, G. (ed.). no title (1891-1939). Australian Dictionary of Biography . Melbourne University Press.

Attribution

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.

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[ahd-105359-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 "West Island Elevated Houses (Place ID 105359)". Australian Heritage Database . Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment . Retrieved 15 May 2019.

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