Abstract
ABSTRACT Architectural histories remain largely silent on Indigenous people’s agency in the creation of Australian frontier settler architectures. It is argued that this absence has negatively impacted our understanding of emerging Australian vernacular architectures. A case study is made of elevated buildings found in the colonial settlement of Port Essington, Northern Territory. This paper explores social and cultural drivers for building elevation. It considers British military personnel and officials’ fear of attack settling in Northern Australia. Here, successful Aboriginal guerrilla war tactics directly impacted British fort design. Inter-cultural conflict directly resulted in the shift from groundwork fortifications to elevated timber blockhouses. Defensively sited, blockhouses provided an elevated point of retreat for dwelling; visually surveying surroundings; securing precious stores; and mounting offensive military attacks. It is concluded that frontier conflict should be more closely explored in Australian architectural histories.
Published Version
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