WRANS House, Wadjemup/ Rottnest Island

Author

Heritage Council

Place Number

27033

Location

Rottnest Island (Wadjemup)

Location Details

Wadjemup Road, Wadjemup Hill

Other Name(s)

Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) House

Local Government

Cockburn

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1940, Constructed from 1936 to 1937

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
RHP - Assessed - Consultation (Statutory) Current 05 Aug 2022 HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
(no listings)

Parent Place or Precinct

03650 Wadjemup/Rottnest Island

Physical Description

WRANS House is a single storey rectangular dwelling located on the summit of Wadjemup Hill. Associated outbuildings include a water tank and external toilet facilities.

History

The building was originally built as quarters at North Point on Wadjemup/Rottnest Island in 1937 during the occupation of the island by Defence forces during World War II. The quarters were relocated to Signal Ridge on Wadjemup/Rottnest Island between April and July 1940 for the use of Naval Communication Branch Ratings. Improvements and extensions to the building, in addition to the construction of additional facilities, were completed by December 1940. Between 1941 and 1942 the building was occupied by Harbour Trust signalmen, after which it was substantially refurbished to accomodate the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service in 1943 for the remainder of the war. The buildings were formally transferred to Commonwealth ownership in 1953. The Navy then agreed to lease the buildings the Department of Fisheries on a ten-year lease for the purpose of establishing a Research Station. The Station was run as a joint venture between UWA Zoology Department, State Fisheries Department and the CSIRO Division of Fisheries until 1985, when it became the responsibility of the University of Western Australia. Additional faclities were constructed around the building, as well as refurbishments and alterations to the interior of the building. Following the closure of the Research Station in 2002 to allow use of the Wadjemup Hill facilities as a tourist venue, the WRANS House has remained vacant, used primarily for storage and a power source for a mobile food and beverage van located in the area during summer.

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Present Use VACANT\UNUSED Vacant\Unused
Original Use MILITARY Officers Quarters
Other Use SCIENTIFIC Laboratory or Research Station

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Other ASBESTOS Other Asbestos
Wall TIMBER Weatherboard

Historic Themes

General Specific
TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS Telecommunications
TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS River & sea transport
OUTSIDE INFLUENCES World Wars & other wars
TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS Technology & technological change
OCCUPATIONS Fishing & other maritime industry

Creation Date

27 Oct 2021

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

04 Nov 2021

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.