The Residency, Alice Springs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Residency
A view of the Parsons Street side of The Residency, 2007
General information
Location	Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
Construction started	1926
Completed	1927

The Residency is a very important building in Alice Springs. It shows a time when this part of Northern Territory had its own special government. It was also a busy place for social events and culture for the people living there.

In 1926, a person named John Charles Cawood became the Government Resident for Central Australia. He was based in Stuart, which is what Alice Springs was called back then.

Building The Residency

The Residency was built to be perfect for the hot, dry weather of Alice Springs. Its floors were made of concrete laid right onto the ground. The special hollow concrete bricks looked like stone and were made right there on the building site.

• The bricks were made in wooden molds.
• Only one type of brick was used, but they were laid in different patterns to make it look like there were many kinds.

Mr. Cawood even sent a message to the government saying that good sand for the cement could be found in the Todd River. The building was finished in 1927.

Cool Features of the House

The most important part of The Residency was a wide hallway called a breezeway. This breezeway went right through the middle of the house.

• In the early days, this area was mostly used as a lounge.
• It had comfy cane furniture and a tea table.
• A special fan called a punkah kept the main hall cool. This fan is still there today! An Aboriginal servant used to operate it.

Rooms opened off both sides of the breezeway. A wide veranda, covered with fly-screens, went all around the building. Today, this veranda has sliding windows and green striped blinds to help keep the house cool.

Changes Over Time

The Residency has been changed quite a bit over the years. For example, the room at the front, on the left of the entrance, was once a laundry and storage room.

• Mrs. Carrington, who lived there from 1929 to 1942, often had to give up her bedroom for guests.
• So, two new rooms were added at the back of the house: a storeroom and a laundry.
• This allowed a new bedroom to be built for the people living in The Residency. Mrs. Carrington loved her new bedroom because the morning sun shone through the windows.

The main breezeway was sometimes jokingly called 'the freezeway' in winter! Later, it became a dining area. Different families lived in The Residency, so this area often changed to fit their needs.

The house also had four fireplaces, one in each of the main rooms. Doors opened onto the veranda. This design helped keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer. Alice Springs can get very cold in winter and extremely hot in summer.

People Who Lived Here

Many important people lived in The Residency over the years. They were often in charge of the government in Central Australia.

Early Residents

John Charles Cawood was the first Government Resident. He lived there from February 1927 to December 1929. He was also in charge of a special investigation in 1928. Mr. Cawood left his job because his wife was not well.

Victor Carrington then lived at The Residency from 1929 to 1942. He was first an Assistant Administrator and later a District Officer.

Wartime and Beyond

Aubrey Abbott was the Administrator of the Northern Territory, usually living in Darwin. After almost being killed during the Bombing of Darwin in 1942, he moved the main government office to Alice Springs. Mr. Abbott stayed at The Residency until November 1945.

LH A Giles was the next person to live there, but only for a short time, until May 1946.

Colonel Lionel Rose was a very interesting person! Many stories are told about his love for the outdoors and life. He was the Chief Veterinarian for the Northern Territory. People in Alice Springs say that The Residency was the center of social life when Colonel Rose lived there from July 1946 to February 1955.

Reginald McCaffery, his wife Billie, and their large family moved in after Colonel Rose. Mr. McCaffery found that there weren't enough bedrooms for his family.

• He added some simple walls on the veranda to create more sleeping areas.
• These new spaces were furnished simply, sometimes with just a bed, chair, and table.
• The McCaffery family lived in The Residency from February 1955 to December 1960.

Dan Conway and his wife Jillna were the last District Officers to live in the building. They lived there from December 1960 to July 1973.

The Royal Visit

The Conways made many changes to The Residency for a very special visit in 1963. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh stayed at The Residency for two nights (March 14–16).

• To get ready for the Royal Party, a new roof was put on.
• Air conditioning was added.
• Two new bathrooms were installed.
• Part of the veranda near the Queen's bedroom became a private area for her to read her letters and plan her day.

The Residency Today

In 1973, Alice Springs became its own town council. The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory then took over The Residency. They used the historic building to show art, natural science items, and local history.

The Residency was officially re-opened on February 9, 1996. Today, it is the home of Heritage Alice Springs Inc. Visitors can go inside and feel what it was like to live in this grand old house. It was once the main place for social events, government, and important visitors in early Alice Springs.

Protecting History

The Residency is an important historical building. It was added to the Northern Territory Heritage Register on July 14, 1995. This means it is protected and its history is kept safe.

Images for kids

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  Mosaic sign in front of the Residency, created by Ms Leonie Henry, a long-time resident of Alice Springs

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  A view from the front of the Residency

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  More of the garden.

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  One of the original living rooms.