RAAF Administration Block

Statement of Significance

Local knowledge states that these buildings were constructed as part of a base for counterattack on Perth and Fremantle, should the metropolitan area have been taken by the Japanese during World War II.
This conflicts with the commonly held view that if the enemy had landed in WA, Australia's defence forces,would abandon the State and pull back to a line between Adelaide and Brisbane.
These, structures are considered to be of national importance because of their links to other wartime buildings in the district.

Physical Description

The two buildings occupy a corner site and on first appearance seem to be a mirror image of one another but with different orientation. However, closer inspection reveals that the western corner building has a higher roof line and larger doors, centrally located, facing both streets, suggesting storage use.
Both buildings have a gable roofed section projecting forward at the end but with the eastern building this is more pronounced and a doorway occurs where the two sections of the building meet.
Both buildings have timber framed corrugated iron awnings above door and window
openings, usually below the eaves line but there is a doorway on each building where the awning is formed from an extension of the roof. The gable roofed extension also projects at the rear on the eastern building, but this does not occur, with the western building.
Both buildings originally had wooden casement windows of three panes to a frame, erected in pairs or fours. At time of inspection those of the eastern building appeared to have been recently replaced with aluminium framed sliding windows. The removed casements were stacked against a wall of the building. The original casements still remain in the other building, which has had an evaporative cooler installed near the ridge line.

History

Themes: Outside Influences - World War II

Integrity/Authenticity

Most original fabric is intact with the buildings appearing much as they did during wartime and providing a very high integrity.

Condition

Fair-Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.