When I was in Oz there were some good journals that covered topics like the one you are asking about.

Try and subscribe to this

http://www.archmedia.com.au/houses/

glen murcott is not traditional, but he's hella good. sensible designs for houses (as pertaining to the crazy climates in australia).

on the east coast standard homes are usually brick veneer with pine or steel frame into and a conrete or clay tile, or custom orb roof.

and on the west coast they are usually double brick, with same roof materials.

but these are not really that well suited to the climate, they are an antiquated legacy from British Colony days...

where is whitfield. there will be local factors such as soil type, climate, is it a cyclonic region.


also, what do you mean by 'traditional' as in historic methods? or contempory conventional methods.

maybe check out - http://www.seangodsell.com

his masters thesis was "The Appropriateness of the Contemporary Australian Dwelling"

might be a good place to start your research...

oops into=internal walls

sheesh?

I might of not meant traditional But I can describe it. It has a cabin like feel. One level living raised platform deck around perimeter with roof. Core of house has its own roof at a steeper pitch. Hipped at ends. Roof is corregated metal. Walls of house are mud brick. Approx 14 inches thick. Perimeter deck and roof frame is wood. Floor of house is conc. slab. Large casement windows. The design allows the windows to be shaded thus reducing solar gain. Passive cooling is the goal. They want electric heat since they will not be using the bldg during cold months. To me they requesting basic shelter with very few amenities.

Whe have had a couple of interesting quest lecturers from australia recently, all designing along the lines you described -> basic shelter, natural cooling & such.

Murcutt was already mentioned, but check out Peter Stutcshbury (or something similar...) and Richard Leplastrier (winner of the "spirit of nature" award).