40 Verney "Westaway Towers"

late 20th century architecture, vegetation, landform, local listing 2020

Westaway Towers first high rise in Caloundra Kirkegard & Schellback Architects drawings dated Nov 1974

with native fig growing out of the sandstone outcrop.

From the local heritage list citation:

Westaway Towers is important in demonstrating the evolution of the Sunshine Coast Council area’s history. It was the first high rise development in Caloundra and the third in the Sunshine Coast. The construction of high rise towers in Maroochydore (Maroochy Sands), Marcoola (Surfair) and Caloundra (Westaway Towers) reflected changing architectural tastes and the intensity of development that particularly marked the 1970s.

Westaway Towers is important because of its aesthetic significance. It is a visual landmark in Caloundra due to its height and elevated position.

fig with 21 Maltman St South "Kythera" in background Kings Beach photos Roger Todd 2011

Extract from the Sunday Mail Jan 18 1976 by Mollie Humphreys, describes Caloundra in the 1920's, including Lizard Rock see full article

After the Clontarf Mens Shed visited the lighthouses on the 21st Aug 2015, Bob sent me this photo and two others - I'll post all on the lighthouses timeline. Thanks Bob

From: Robert Kirkwood <kaptonkaos@hotmail.com>

Subject: Caloundra Light House.

Date: 23 August 2015 10:13:13 am AEST

To: Roger Todd <toddarch@powerup.com.au>

This seems to be all I took ,it was August - September 1974, I should have taken from where it was I took them, but they were the days of developing photographs no digital them. every shot was real money.

The last photo was "looking south east".

I also seem to mention on the back of some of the photos, "From Pilot Light house and Channel Control Station",

does that ring a bell for you?

Cheers,

Bob

From the local heritage list description:

Caloundra's first high rise development was Westaway Towers, completed in 1975 and the third high rise built on the Sunshine Coast. At 16 stories, it was for a time the tallest building on the Sunshine Coast and it remains one of the tallest buildings in Caloundra because of its elevated position. The building was designed by Kirkegard & Schellback Architects and constructed by Lombard Australia on behalf of the developer, Henzells Agency. Henzells was established in 1935 by Roy Henzell, who became a prominent Caloundra developer after purchasing William Landsborough's property at Golden Beach in the 1930s and developing Pelican Waters. The building was named after former Landsborough Shire Councillor, Miriam Westaway. Westaway moved to the Sunshine Coast in 1918 and married into the Westaway family, early pastoral pioneers who established Meridan Plains in the 1860s. Westaway was the first female Councillor in the Landsborough Shire Council and, interestingly, initially opposed the high rise development, reflecting the broader concern over development on the coast at the time. The land on which the building was constructed was also utilised by the military during World War II. The building was unusual in that it was constructed for residential purposes, rather than holiday accommodation.