Karnet Prison Farm Staff Housing

Values

• Karnet Prison Farm is a representative example of a Prison constructed c1960s.
• Karnet Prison Farm & Staff Housing is representative of the provision of government employee housing in outer metropolitan areas.
• Karnet Prison Farm & Staff Housing contains representative examples of simple vernacular housing constructed to a standard plan by the State Housing Commission.
• The place is of significance to former employees and their family members from the early 1960s to the present.

Physical Description

Karnet Prison Farm is located on the southern side of Kingsbury Drive opposite the 6 dwellings at Nos. 13- 18 Kingsbury Drive, Serpentine, which are under consideration for disposal. Karnet Prison Farm sits on 344.89 hectares of land. The prison buildings are located along the eastern side of the site with the balance of the site being used for farming purposes including breeding cattle and sheep. The prison also contains an abattoir, a dairy, poultry farm, market gardens and an orchard. All buildings are set back from Kingsbury Drive and are largely concealed from view by a security fence and native vegetation along the property line. The fence was constructed in 2006 in response to a number of high profile escapes. The staff housing comprises six simple vernacular asbestos-clad dwellings constructed in 1963 to standard State Housing Commission plans for staff of the Karnet Prison Farm and their families.. The dwellings are located on the northern side of Kingsbury Drive directly opposite Karnet Prison Farm, 77 km south east of Perth. Other built structures on the site include, a disused swimming pool, basketball courts and a telecommunications facility. The place is surrounded by State Forest No.22. All dwellings are contained within the same land holding on individual allotments informally demarcated by rear fencing and landscaping.

Uses

Creation Date

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