Oceania House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oceania House |
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Oceania House, undated
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | House |
| Architectural style | Federation |
| Location | Jalan Bunga Kangkong, Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 12°07′13″S 96°53′41″E / 12.1204°S 96.8947°E |
| Construction started | 1887 |
| Completed | 1904 |
| Renovated | 1909; 1981 |
| Client | Clunies-Ross family |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Brick; weatherboard cladding; timber |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Floor area | 930 square metres (10,000 sq ft) |
| Official name: Oceania House and Surrounds | |
| Type: | Listed place (Historic) |
| Designated: | 22 June 2004 |
| Reference #: | 105236 |
Oceania House is a very old and important house on Home Island in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia. It's famous because it was the home of the Clunies-Ross family. This family played a big part in the history of the Cocos Islands. The house is now protected as a special heritage site. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.
History of Oceania House
The Clunies-Ross Family and the Islands
The Clunies-Ross family moved to the Cocos Islands in 1827. They started a big business growing coconuts and making copra. Copra is dried coconut meat, used to make coconut oil. This business was the main way people made a living on the islands for a long time.
The people who live on Home Island today are mostly descendants of workers. These workers were brought to the islands by the Clunies-Ross family. They worked on the coconut farms. In 1886, the whole Cocos Islands were given to George Clunies-Ross.
Changes in Ownership
Later, in 1951, the Commonwealth of Australia bought some land on West Island. They built an airfield there. In 1978, Australia bought most of the islands from John Cecil Clunies-Ross. They then gave the islands to the Cocos community. However, the Clunies-Ross family kept Oceania House for a few more years.
Building and Changes to the House
Oceania House was built between 1887 and 1904. Local workers helped build it. The bricks used for the house were brought all the way from Scotland. Even the soil for the gardens came from Christmas Island!
A strong cyclone damaged the house in 1909. It was fixed up many times over the years. In the 1940s, a tower on the house was removed. By 1951, it was a huge house with ten bedrooms, four bathrooms, a ballroom, and a billiard room. It also had ten acres of garden.
A very special event happened in 1954. Queen Elizabeth II visited the house during her trip to Australia. She even attended a "garden party" there!
The house was changed a lot in 1980–1981 by John Cecil Clunies-Ross senior. The family lived there until 1985. After some financial problems, the house was put up for sale in 1991.
Recent Years of Oceania House
In 1993, the Australian Government bought Oceania House for $1.2 million. They planned to give it to the local government, the Shire of Cocos. But for many years, no one could decide what to do with it.
It was put up for sale again in 2000. This was because neither the government nor the local community could afford to keep it. Later, it was sold to a private owner. For some years, it was not open to the public. By 2017, Oceania House was being used for tourists to stay in.
What Oceania House Looks Like
The Main House
Oceania House is a two-story building. The older part is about 550 square meters. A newer part, added on the south side, is about 380 square meters. The walls are made of cream bricks from Scotland. The roof is made of corrugated iron.
The main part of the house is almost square. It has projecting corners and a veranda with a curved roof. This veranda was added during renovations in the 1980s. The house doesn't look exactly like other buildings from its time. This might be because the owners were far away from Australian styles. But it does have some features of the Federation architecture style. This can be seen in its corner bays and windows.
Inside, the house was greatly changed in 1980–1981. The brick walls were covered with teak wood. The old staircase was replaced with a new one made of jarrah wood. A tower was also removed at this time. There are also other parts, like a single-story brick wing and a larger two-story wing. Today, the house is used for people visiting the island.
Other Buildings on the Property
Old School House
This building was built in the early 1900s. It was first used as the Clunies-Ross family's office. Later, it became a school for the children. Now, it's used for storage and as rooms for tourists. It's a two-story brick building with a corrugated iron roof. It used to have verandas on both sides.
Former Workshop and Store
Next to the Old School House is a long, single-story brick building. It's quite old, maybe 60 to 80 years old. It has a concrete floor and a metal roof. This building is not used anymore.
Second Former School Building
This building is located just east of the Old School House. It's a simple rectangular building, about 30 years old. It has a timber frame and floor, with asbestos cement sheets on the outside. It's currently used for storage.
Garden Shed
This shed is a bit further away, towards the northern edge of the property. It's a simple building, about 10 to 15 years old. It has a timber frame, concrete floor, and a metal roof.
The Grounds and Gardens
The area around Oceania House has been carefully designed. It has many different kinds of tropical and temperate plants and trees.
- There are fresh water wells. The rich soil was brought from Christmas Island.
- Some parts of the grounds still have native plants, including large ironwood trees.
- There are several water bores (holes dug to get water).
- A large brick bird loft, which is less than ten years old.
- A drive made of concrete or stone leads from the property entrance to the house.
- A Celtic cross marks the graves of several members of the Clunies-Ross family.
- There are also parts of an old wall. This wall was built around 1870. It was meant to protect the family. Parts of the wall are damaged or have fallen down.
Contents of Oceania House
The library inside Oceania House has many valuable books. It also has old records from the estate. These records include information about births, deaths, and marriages on the island. The house also holds the original wooden plaque. This plaque remembers when Great Britain took control of the territory in 1857. There are also bronze statues of the first four Clunies-Ross "kings" of Cocos.
The Bungalow Area
The property also includes a separate area called the Bungalow.
- The Bungalow: This building was originally for the manager of the estate. It's a simple timber building with a corrugated asbestos roof.
- Powerhouse: This building is about 10 to 15 years old. It's made of cream bricks and has a corrugated iron roof.
- Outbuildings: Near the Bungalow and powerhouse are three simple sheds. They are made of timber and are about 15 to 25 years old.
- Grounds: This area also has several water bores, two rainwater tanks, and a small jetty.
Condition of the Property
Oceania House is generally in good condition. However, the old records in the library could be damaged by dust, dirt, mold, and humidity. The brick outbuildings are in fair condition but show signs of dampness. The Bungalow and other sheds are in fair to good condition. The old boundary wall is in fair to poor condition, with some parts collapsed. Some of the old items that used to be in the house have been moved.
Why Oceania House is Important
Oceania House is very important for its history. It shows how the Clunies-Ross family lived on the Cocos Islands for many years. They started the coconut business there. The property still has parts of the old security wall from 1870. It also has the graves of family members and old records about the Cocos settlement.
The large house and its big gardens look very different from the nearby Malay Kampong (village). This difference shows the high status of the plantation owner. It also shows his power over the Cocos-Malay community. Cocos Malays worked as servants in the house until recently.
Oceania House is also interesting because of its unique architectural style. It doesn't quite fit typical Australian styles of its time. This might be because the owners were so isolated. The Cocos Malay community also values the property highly. It is a big part of their history and society.
- Australian Encyclopedia
