Matthews Cottage facts for kids

Matthews Cottage is a special old house located in Kiandra, a historic area within the beautiful Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales, Australia. This cottage is important because it tells us about the past, especially the lives of people who lived and worked in this snowy mountain region long ago. It is protected as a heritage site by the Office of Environment and Heritage, meaning it's a valuable part of Australia's history.

The Story of Matthews Cottage

Early Owners

The land where Matthews Cottage stands was first sold way back on June 29, 1874. A miner from Kiandra named George Venterman bought it for a small amount of money. He paid 20 shillings and 3 pence for this piece of Crown land, which is land owned by the government.

A few years later, in March 1879, the land was sold again. It went to Frederick Blaxland, and then later to William John Foley, who was known as "Bill."

Bill Foley and His Family

Bill Foley was born in 1879 at Goulburn Prison, where his father worked as a warden. By the time Bill was sixteen, he had an exciting job. He worked on the mail coach that traveled from Kiandra to Cooma.

This job was often thrilling because the coach frequently carried gold for banks. When gold was on board, six to eight armed men would ride along to protect it!

Later, Bill worked on large machines called mining dredges. These machines were used to dig for gold. He worked first in Adelong, and then in Myrtleford, Victoria.

Bill left Myrtleford in a unique way: he rode his pushbike all the way to Grahamstown for his wedding! He married Jenny Bradley. The Bradley family had a long history in the Snowy Mountains, with relatives living in places like Talbingo and working as the first caretakers at the Yarrangobilly Caves.

Around 1900, Bill and Jenny Foley moved to Kiandra. Bill found work at Oliver Harris's store. His job included butchering animals and then carrying the meat by packhorses to miners working in a place called Lobbs Hole.

Building the Cottage

Pictures from the past show us that the Foley family built the original Matthews Cottage. They constructed it sometime between 1900 and 1906.

What Does the Cottage Look Like?

The cottage was a simple building with three rooms. It had a verandah (a covered porch) facing the street. The walls were made of weatherboards, which are wooden planks that overlap to protect the house from the weather.

The roof was a gable roof, meaning it had two sloping sides that met at a ridge, and it was covered with corrugated iron. Inside, the walls were lined with timber boards.

The builders used modern techniques and materials for the time. This was possible because typical rural towns had access to new technology, and there were good roads to major towns where materials could be bought.

We don't know who the builder was. The sawn timber for the house's frame probably came from local sawmills, like one at Alpine Creek. However, the lining boards, windows, and doors likely came from outside the region.

The fireplace in the cottage was made using basalt stonework. This was a bit unusual, though the old Kiandra Courthouse and Police Lockup were built entirely from basalt stone.

Why is it Important?

Matthews Cottage is a very important historical site. It was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This means it is recognized as a significant part of New South Wales's history and is protected for future generations to learn from and enjoy.