Nutcote facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nutcote |
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| Location | 5 Wallaringa Avenue, Kurraba Point, North Sydney Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1924–1925 |
| Built for | May Gibbs |
| Architect | B. J. Waterhouse |
| Owner | The Nutcote Trust Pty Ltd and North Sydney Council |
| Official name: Nutcote; May Gibbs house | |
| Type | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 505 |
| Type | Cottage |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
| Builders | F. J. Gray |
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Nutcote is a special house in Kurraba Point, Sydney, Australia. It used to be the home and art studio of a famous Australian author and illustrator named May Gibbs. Today, it is a museum and education center. The house was designed by B. J. Waterhouse and built between 1924 and 1925. It is also known as May Gibbs house and is protected as a heritage site.
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The Story of Nutcote
Nutcote was the much-loved home and studio of May Gibbs. She was Australia's first woman cartoonist. She is famous for her wonderful children's stories and drawings.
May Gibbs was born in England in 1877. Her family moved to Australia when she was young. She loved the Australian bush and showed a talent for drawing early on. She went to England a few times to study art. In 1905, she started her career as an illustrator.
Her famous "gumnut babies" characters first appeared in 1913. People loved how she used Australian flowers and leaves in her art. Her first Australian books, Gum Nut Babies and Gum Blossom Babies, came out in 1916.
In 1919, May married James Ossoli Kelly. They later moved to Kurraba Point in North Sydney. May's mother helped her find the perfect piece of land for Nutcote in 1922. It was right on the beautiful Sydney Harbour.
May asked architect B. J. Waterhouse to design a house that was "compact, convenient, and charming." The house was finished in 1925. May was 48 years old when she moved in. The house was made just for her. It had a special studio where she could create her amazing stories and drawings.
May Gibbs lived at Nutcote for 44 years. She created her popular Bib and Bub comic strip there from 1924 to 1967. The garden at Nutcote became a big source of ideas for her work. She also got inspiration from the bush she knew as a child in Western Australia.
After her husband passed away in 1939, May Gibbs became more private. She continued to create new works like Scotty in Gumnut Land (1941). May Gibbs lived at Nutcote until shortly before her death in 1969.
Saving Nutcote
When May Gibbs passed away, she left the rights to her work to charities for children. She wanted Nutcote to go to UNICEF. However, UNICEF couldn't own property. So, the house was sold in 1970.
Later, some owners wanted to knock down the house and build new homes. But many people loved May Gibbs and her work. In 1987, her relatives and friends started the May Gibbs Foundation. They launched a big campaign to "Save Nutcote for the Nation."
This campaign was a huge success! The community fought hard to protect the house. It had stayed mostly the same since May Gibbs lived there. Because of the campaign, Nutcote was placed on important heritage lists. This helped protect it from being changed or knocked down.
In 1988, the North Sydney Council decided to buy Nutcote. They wanted to turn it into a museum. This was a big win for everyone who wanted to save May Gibbs' legacy. The council bought the house in 1991.
After some restoration work, Nutcote officially opened as a museum in 1994. It shows the house as it looked when May Gibbs lived there in the 1920s and 1930s. Today, you can visit Nutcote to learn about May Gibbs and her wonderful stories.
In 2021, Nutcote was one of the first places to get a special "blue plaque" from the New South Wales government. This plaque honors May Gibbs' life and her important contributions.
What Nutcote Looks Like
The Main House
Nutcote is a single-story house built on land that slopes down towards the water. It has brick walls painted a terracotta color. The roof is made of red tiles. There's a lovely balcony with arches and iron railings. This balcony looks out over the water.
The house has wooden windows with shutters on the sides. The front door is set back in a simple entrance. The house looks like a classical Mediterranean style home. It has 8 rooms, a verandah, and a porch. There's also a basement with a laundry and another bedroom.
The Garage
Near the front of the property, on Wallaringa Avenue, is a rectangular garage. It has brick walls and a tiled roof, just like the house. It has two large wooden doors that fold open. This garage was built for May Gibbs' car.
The Gardens
The gardens at Nutcote slope down towards the water. There are rocky areas with native plants. Right below the house, there's a concrete terrace. Stairs lead down from there to a grassy area closer to the water.
Near the road, the garden still shows signs of its original "cottage garden" style. May Gibbs loved her garden. She said, "I used to walk about the garden weeding it and loving it with a book in my pocket and a pencil and that's where I got my best ideas."
Nutcote's Importance
Nutcote and its garden are very important. It was the home, workplace, and inspiration for May Gibbs. She was Australia's first woman cartoonist, painter, and children's author.
The house also shows the work of famous architect B. J. Waterhouse. He designed the house with May Gibbs' ideas in mind. It's a great example of a well-designed and charming home.
Nutcote is also important because it reminds many Australians of May Gibbs' stories and art. Her work helped create a unique Australian identity. The fight to save Nutcote also showed how much the community cared about her legacy.
