Anzac Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anzac Cottage |
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| Etymology | Australian and New Zealand Army Corps |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Federation Queen Anne |
| Address | 38 Kalgoorlie St, Mount Hawthorn, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°55′25″S 115°50′05″E / 31.9235°S 115.8347°E |
| Current tenants | National Trust of Western Australia |
| Groundbreaking | 29 January 1916 |
| Construction started | 5 February 1916 |
| Completed | March 1916 |
| Opened | 15 April 1916 |
| Owner | National Trust of Western Australia |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Alfred Levido |
| Designated | 20 October 2000 |
| Reference no. | 3344 |
Anzac Cottage is a special house in Mount Hawthorn, Western Australia. It was built to remember soldiers who fought in the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I. It also became a home for a soldier who was hurt in the war. This cottage is important because it was the very first World War I memorial built in Western Australia. What's even cooler is that it was mostly built in just one day, on 12 February 1916! People donated money, building materials, and their time to make it happen.
Contents
What Does Anzac Cottage Look Like?
The Anzac Cottage is a brick house with a tiled roof. It has four main rooms and was designed by an architect named Alfred Levido. The house was built in a style called Federation Queen Anne, which was popular back then.
The roof has two pointy parts at the top. A porch, called a verandah, stretches across the whole front of the house. The front rooms have big windows that stick out, called bay windows. Above the front door, there are fancy stained-glass panels. The middle panel even has the word "ANZAC" in it! Inside, the ceilings have cool patterns pressed into the metal. The two front rooms and the kitchen have fireplaces.
At the back, there's another verandah, with a kitchen, bathroom, and laundry area. A flagpole stands proudly in the front yard.
The Story of Anzac Cottage
How Anzac Cottage Was Built
In late 1915, a local group called the Mount Hawthorn Progress Association had a great idea. They wanted to build a house called "Anzac Cottage." This house would be a memorial to keep the name "Anzac" alive. It would also give a home to a soldier wounded during the war.
A local real estate agent, James Peet, generously gave the land for the house. On 29 January 1916, about 30 volunteers worked hard to clear the land using hand tools.
The next week, on 5 February, all the building materials arrived. Seventy horse-drawn carts and 150 men formed a long parade from James Street to the building site. Leading the parade was Emily Roberts, known as the "Soldiers' Queen." She was famous for helping soldiers. When they arrived, Emily Roberts officially turned the first bit of soil. The men then started building the foundations, finishing them the next day.
The main building day was Saturday, 12 February. It started super early at 3:30 AM with a bell ringing to call the builders. By 4 AM, 50 men were ready to work, and by 8 AM, over 100 were busy. By afternoon, there were 200 workers! Volunteers provided meals for everyone. In the afternoon, Lady Barron, the Governor's wife, placed a special memorial plaque on one of the gate pillars. At 5 PM, Emily Roberts raised the Australian flag, which had the letters "ANZAC" sewn onto it. By the end of the day, the outside of the house was almost finished! The lawn was laid, and the fence was up. The rest of the inside work was completed in the next two weeks.
Building the cottage was a huge public event. Thousands of people watched the materials arrive. About 4,000 people came to watch the main construction day! The local streets were decorated with flags, and a police band played music. A special booklet was even printed to remember the day, with photos and names of those who helped.
The Porter Family's Home
On 15 April 1916, the cottage was officially opened by Premier John Scaddan and his wife. The very next day, the house was given to Private John Porter and his wife Annie. John Porter was a soldier in the 11th Battalion. He was one of the soldiers who landed at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915. He was hurt on that first day and had to return to Australia in July 1915.
The Mount Hawthorn Progress Association held the ownership papers for the house. This meant the Porter family and their children could live there, but they couldn't sell it.
John and Annie Porter lived in the cottage until they passed away in the 1960s. Some of their children continued to live there until the 1970s or early 1980s.
Fixing Up and New Uses
In the 1970s and 1980s, there were some disagreements about who owned the house and who should look after it. The Porter children had moved out, and the original group that owned it was no longer active. After some legal talks, the state government took over the cottage. By this time, the house was in poor condition.
In the early 1990s, the cottage was given to the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, Western Australia Branch (VVAA WA). They worked with local groups and got funding to restore the house to how it looked originally. They removed some parts that weren't original, like a sleepout and a bath. The front porch, which was damaged, was replaced. Parts of the roof and brickwork were fixed. The cottage reopened in April 1997. In April 2002, a new memorial plaque was placed, replacing the original one.
In 2006, the cottage was given to the Town of Vincent. They then leased it back to the VVAA WA for a very small rent. The VVAA used it as their main office and a small museum, sometimes open to the public.
In 2021, Anzac Cottage was transferred to the National Trust of Western Australia. They now offer guided tours of the building, so people can learn about its history.
The Flagpole
A flagpole was put up in the front yard of the cottage before it officially opened in April 1916. It was given by Mrs. Helmes to remember her nephew, Private Leslie Arthur Wilkinson, who died at Anzac Cove. A plaque on the flagpole honored him.
In 2015, the old wooden flagpole was found to be badly damaged. A new metal flagpole was put in its place. The new pole has a new plaque with the same words as the original.
Special Recognitions
Anzac Cottage is recognized as an important historical place. It is listed by the National Trust of Australia, on the State Register of Heritage Places, and on the Register of the National Estate. It's also included in the City of Vincent's list of important heritage sites.
Remembering the Past
Anzac Cottage is a place for several special ceremonies to remember soldiers. These include Anzac Day, Vietnam Veterans Day, and Remembrance Day.
- Every year, John Porter used to raise the flag on Anzac Day at 4:30 AM. This was the exact time of the first landing at Gallipoli.
- Since 1996, a "sunset service" has been held at the cottage every Anzac Day. This is the last such service in Australia each year.
Other Similar Cottages
The Anzac Cottage in Mount Hawthorn inspired others to build similar homes. For example, another Anzac Cottage was built in Claremont, Western Australia, in 1917.
The Queensland War Council also built many "Anzac cottages" for the wives and children of Queensland soldiers who died in the war.
