Did You Know??

Cook's Cottage is the "oldest building" in Australia, located in the heritage-listed Fitzroy Gardens next to Melbourne's CBD. The structure was originally built in the village of Ayton in Yorkshire, England in 1755, by James and Grace Cook, parents of the famous explorer Captain James Cook.

The Cottage was purchased by Melbourne philanthropist Russell Grimwade for 800 pounds in 1933, as a centenary gift for the people of Melbourne. Although there were issues with allowing the cottage to be moved to another country, Russell Grimwade was able to convince the owner that although the cottage would be moved to another country, it would still remain as part of the Commonwealth.

To move the cottage, it had to be dismantled and then each brick numbered, put into 253 cases and 40 barrels and shipped to Melbourne, where it was rebuilt and opened to the public on 15 October 1934

Information sent in by Derek hain