Calthorpes' House is a heritage-listed house located at 24 Mugga Way, Red Hill,

Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory until 1938, is an internal States and territories of Australia, territory of Australia. Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is situated within the territory, an ...

. It was built in 1927 for Harry and Dell Calthorpe. Harry Calthorpe was a partner in Calthorpe and Woodger, a successful

Queanbeyan Queanbeyan ( ) is a city in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia, located adjacent to the Australian Capital Territory in the Southern Tablelands region. Located on the Queanbeyan River, the city is the council seat of the Queanbeyan-Pale ...

-based stock and station and real estate agency. The house was designed by Ken Oliphant of Oakley and Parkes, the architectural firm responsible for the residence of the

Prime Minister of Australia The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister is the chair of the Cabinet of Australia and thus the head of the Australian Government, federal executive government. Under the pr ...

, The Lodge. Sir Charles Rosenthal had initially been selected to design the house; however, his plans were not used. Harry Calthorpe died at age 59 in 1950, and Dell Calthorpe remained in the house until her death in 1979. The house and its contents had remained largely unchanged for many years, and both the Calthorpe family and historians recognised its historical value and later, potential for a house museum. It was purchased by the

Government of Australia The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government or simply as the federal government, is the national Executive (government), executive government of Australia, a federalism, federal Parliamentary system, parliamentary con ...

in late 1984, and was opened as a museum in 1986. It continues to operate as a museum today. Calthorpes' House is a snapshot of domestic life for a family of four in a late 1920s three-bedroom Canberra house, however it is not entirely representative, given the larger than average house and garden, and there have been some minor changes and additions over time. There is an air raid shelter behind the house which is still preserved, and was built in response to the risk of bombing of Canberra during the war. It was added to the Australian Capital Territory Heritage Register on 27 September 1996 and to the former

Register of the National Estate The Register of the National Estate was a heritage register that listed natural and cultural heritage places in Australia that was closed in 2007. Phasing out began in 2003, when the Australian National Heritage List and the Commonwealth Heri ...

on 25 March 1986.

References

{{reflist Historic house museums in the Australian Capital Territory Museums in Canberra Australian Capital Territory places listed on the defunct Register of the National Estate Australian Capital Territory Heritage Register