Andrew Fisher's Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andrew Fishers Cottage |
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Andrew Fisher's Cottage
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| Location | 215 Brisbane Road, Monkland, Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | c. 1870 |
| Official name: Andrew Fishers Cottage | |
| Type | state heritage |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600537 |
| Significant period | 1870s |
| Significant components | residential accommodation - main house |
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Andrew Fisher's Cottage is a special old house located at 215 Brisbane Road in Monkland, Australia. It was built around 1870. This cottage is famous because it has a link to Andrew Fisher, who became the Prime Minister of Australia! Today, it is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's an important historical place.
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A Home with History
Andrew Fisher's Cottage was built around 1870. It is a simple wooden house, much like many other homes built for miners in the area. The cottage was not always in its current spot. It was first located in Maori Lane in Red Hill, Gympie. In 1972, it was carefully moved to where it stands today.
The house belonged to the family of Andrew Fisher's wife, Margaret Irvine. It is believed that Andrew and Margaret Fisher lived in this cottage for a short time after they got married in 1901. Andrew Fisher met Margaret while he was staying at her family's home in Gympie.
Andrew Fisher: From Miner to Prime Minister
Andrew Fisher was a very important person in Australian history. He was the first person from Queensland to become the Prime Minister of Australia.
Fisher started working in mines in Scotland, where he was born, when he was only ten years old. He came to Queensland in Australia in 1885. In Scotland, he was involved in miners' unions. He was even blacklisted, meaning he was put on a list that made it hard for him to get work, because of his involvement in miners' strikes in 1881.
When he came to Queensland, he continued to work with unions and the Labour movement. He became the secretary and then the president of the Gympie Branch of the Amalgamated Miner's Association. His journey into politics began when he was elected to the Queensland Parliament in 1893. Later, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives in the very first parliament of the Federation of Australia.
He became Prime Minister in 1908 after Alfred Deakin resigned. He was re-elected in 1910. During this time, he helped pass many important laws and even set up the Commonwealth Bank.
By the time Fisher arrived in Gympie in the late 1880s, it was already a busy town. Gold had been found there by James Nash in 1867, which led to many people rushing to the area. By 1869, Gympie had thousands of people living there. The town grew so quickly that by the time official surveyors arrived in 1868, much of the town was already built!
What the Cottage Looks Like
Andrew Fisher's Cottage is now part of the Gympie and District Historical Society Mining Museum. It sits next to other buildings that were also moved to this site, like old school buildings and structures related to mining and farming.
The cottage is a typical four-room house made of timber. You can see the wooden frame on the outside. It has a verandah, which is like a porch, with new railings on two sides. The roof has new corrugated iron. The inside and outside of the cottage have been repainted.
You enter the cottage from the back. Inside, the walls on either side of the main hallway have been replaced with glass sliding doors. This allows visitors to easily see into the four rooms. Each of these rooms is filled with many old pieces of furniture and items from the past.
Why is it Heritage Listed?
Andrew Fisher's Cottage was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it is recognized as an important part of Queensland's history.
Demonstrating History
The cottage helps us understand how Queensland's history developed over time. It shows us what a miner's house looked like in the late 1800s.
Special Connection
The cottage has a strong and special connection to the community and to Andrew Fisher. He was a miner from Gympie whose work with mining unions led him to a political career. This career ended with him becoming the first Queenslander to serve as Prime Minister of Australia. The cottage was owned by his wife's family, and the Fishers are believed to have lived there for a short time after their marriage.
The cottage was moved to the Gympie and District Historical Society Mining Museum in 1972. It has a special link with this group. The Historical Society has done a lot of work to fix up the cottage. They value it as a very important part of their historical village.
