Naval Base Holiday Shacks-Posters
Collage of photographs of the Naval Base coastal holiday village at Henderson Western Australia.
From inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au >
Naval Base Caravan Park is a heritage area which has been a holiday destination since 1933, and used by generations of families from Cockburn and the wider area. Although the contribution of individual shacks has varied over time, as a holiday destination, the site has a high degree of authenticity. The Naval Base Caravan Park is a good example of holiday camps which used to exist along the Western Australian coastline but have disappeared in the face of development.
Naval Base Caravan Park has a continuous history as a holiday destination since c.1933. The original Caravan Park extended towards Kwinana, partially situated where heavy industry now exists, and was a weekend retreat for urban residents.
The original ‘holiday homes’ comprised a caravan with a walled annexe, although in at least one case a bus was utilised. A rule in the early days of the camp was that all homes had to have wheels. Subsequently, permanent shacks have been built, in theory within planning with a maximum sized building of 16’ x 17’. An ‘unwritten rule’ states that extensions must only be to the east or west so as not to block views to the ocean.
The shacks have no internal running water and no externally supplied electricity. Residents cook and power refrigerators with gas, use solar panels for electrical power and get their water from nearby community taps.
Threats to Naval Base Caravan Park have usually originated with planned developments of industrial and port operations. During the 1990s no transfer of leases occurred as there was uncertainty about the future of the site. However, in 2000 the development plans were shelved and leases were again being transferred.
Read MoreFrom inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au >
Naval Base Caravan Park is a heritage area which has been a holiday destination since 1933, and used by generations of families from Cockburn and the wider area. Although the contribution of individual shacks has varied over time, as a holiday destination, the site has a high degree of authenticity. The Naval Base Caravan Park is a good example of holiday camps which used to exist along the Western Australian coastline but have disappeared in the face of development.
Naval Base Caravan Park has a continuous history as a holiday destination since c.1933. The original Caravan Park extended towards Kwinana, partially situated where heavy industry now exists, and was a weekend retreat for urban residents.
The original ‘holiday homes’ comprised a caravan with a walled annexe, although in at least one case a bus was utilised. A rule in the early days of the camp was that all homes had to have wheels. Subsequently, permanent shacks have been built, in theory within planning with a maximum sized building of 16’ x 17’. An ‘unwritten rule’ states that extensions must only be to the east or west so as not to block views to the ocean.
The shacks have no internal running water and no externally supplied electricity. Residents cook and power refrigerators with gas, use solar panels for electrical power and get their water from nearby community taps.
Threats to Naval Base Caravan Park have usually originated with planned developments of industrial and port operations. During the 1990s no transfer of leases occurred as there was uncertainty about the future of the site. However, in 2000 the development plans were shelved and leases were again being transferred.
