Old Government House, South Australia facts for kids
Old Government House is a special old building in Belair National Park, South Australia. It was the first official summer home for the Governor of South Australia from 1860 to 1880. Governors like Richard Graves MacDonnell, Dominick Daly, and William Jervois stayed there.
The house was built using local sandstone. Its red-brick corners came from the Blackwood brickworks. The roof was made from native timber shingles. It even had an indoor swimming pool, which was one of the very first in the area!
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History of the Summer Home
The Government Farm Begins
Soon after South Australia was settled, the government decided to create a "Government Farm." This farm was a place to keep horses and cows, and to grow food for them. They chose an area near the Sturt River.
Governor George Gawler thought this spot would also be perfect for a summer house. In July 1840, the government bought a lot of land there. However, the way they bought the land was a bit unusual, and some parts of the deal weren't clear.
When Governor George Grey took over in May 1841, the colony was in a lot of debt. The government tried to sell the farm to raise money. But they soon realized that their ownership of the land wasn't fully clear. Because of this mix-up, the government had to cancel the sale. This actually helped keep the land for public use!
Some parts of the farm were later given away as land grants in 1844. These areas became orchards and gardens, and much later, the suburbs of Glenalta and Monalta. The rest of the Government Farm is now what we know as Belair National Park.
Building the Governor's Retreat
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South Australia's economy got much better in the 1850s. Governor MacDonnell, who had already made Government House in the city bigger, wanted a special country home. He asked for a summer retreat to be built on the Government Farm in 1858.
The house was designed by Colonial Architect Edward Hamilton. Charles Farr was the main builder. When it was finished in 1860, the house had two main rooms: a dining room and a bedroom. It also had a small office, a bathroom, a dressing room, and a cellar. The dining room had a large bay window with doors that opened onto a wide, tiled porch.
The stone for the walls came from a nearby quarry. The roof was made from shingles of stringybark wood, cut from trees on the farm. The building cost about £1600, which was a lot of money back then! There was some debate in Parliament about how much was spent.
Recognized as a Special Place
Old Government House is a very important historical building. It was officially listed as a heritage site on the South Australian Heritage Register on July 24, 1980. This means it's protected because of its historical value.
What is Old Government House Used for Today?
The house was used by governors until 1880. After that, a bigger summer home was built at Marble Hill. Old Government House was then used by the person in charge of the Department of Woods and Forests Nursery, which was also in Belair National Park.
In 1961, the house was given to the National Parks and Wildlife Reserves. It was cleaned up and opened as a museum. More big renovations happened in the 1970s and again in 2002-2003. These works brought the building back to its original beautiful state.
Today, the "Friends of Old Government House" group takes care of the building. It's a popular place for visitors and is open to the public on the first and third Sunday of each month, and on public holidays. It is closed in July, on Christmas Day, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.
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