Craig House - site

Statement of Significance

DEMOLISHED
Craig House was built in response to the prominence of Bunbury as a regional centre for Secondary Education. The Country Women's Association set up and administered the facility where students from all around the South West could live and board during their years at Bunbury Senior High School.

Physical Description

DEMOLISHED

History

The State Government built ‘Craig House’ as a boarding house for girls and boys attending Bunbury High School. It was managed by the Country Women’s Association.

The Government had earlier established a girls’ hostel opposite the High School in February 1952. Prior to this, the Sisters of St Elizabeth of Hungary had provided boarding for some female students at their Mary Clementina Hostel in Clarke Street. The Sisters’ hostel closed in the early 1950s when they withdrew from Bunbury. Boys initially boarded at Sandridge Park (1945-1948) and then the old Goldfields Fresh Air League building (called ‘Craig House’). The CWA managed both government hostels.

Originally designed for twelve students, there were 48 residents in the girls’ hostel by 1958.

By 1963, plans were in hand to build a modern hostel to accommodate both girls and boys. Building was completed in 1965 at a cost of £130,000 with the capacity for 96 students. The new Craig House comprised four separate buildings, connected by a covered patio. One block housed the boys’ dormitories, another for the girls, a third held the dining, kitchen and storerooms and the fourth was the recreation room. The edifice was often referred to as ‘Alcatraz’, probably as much a comment on how it was managed as its regular geometrical design, featuring a flat roof, bare white concrete walls relived only by shafts of small windows and little other embellishment.

However, rapidly changing patterns of State education progressively reduced the number of students who needed to board away from home. Impacting factors included expanded bus services and the provision of more junior high schools in country towns. In 1966, Craig Hostel housed 41 students and was running at a heavy loss. It closed in 1969, ending a thirty year relationship between the government and the CWA in the provision of boarding accommodation in Bunbury.

Changing economic conditions in the country led the Government to re-open Craig House Student Hostel in 1972. It is not known when it closed again.

Craig Hostel was demolished c 1991.

Integrity/Authenticity

DEMOLISHED

Condition

No visible remains.

Uses

Creation Date

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Last Update

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