New & Upcoming Displays

 

Canberra house:

 This project is being developed with ongoing assistance from the Australian National University (ANU) Sustainability and Heritage Office, Facilities and Services Division. ANU is committed to the best practice conservation, management and interpretation of its diverse heritage places and is excited to collaborate with Cockington Green on this exciting project. Old Canberra House is listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List (as part of the wider Acton Conservation Area) and is recognised in the National Trust of Australia (ACT) List of Classified Places.
Old Canberra House is one of the earliest buildings on the ANU campus, dating from the time of Canberra’s establishment as the Federal Capital. ‘The Residency’, as it was first named, was constructed in 1913 for the Administrator of the newly established Capital, Colonel David Miller. Old Canberra House was the first double storey building to be constructed in Canberra and was designed by the Chief Commonwealth Architect, John Smith Murdoch, who designed many of Canberra’s earliest and most prominent buildings including Old Parliament House and the Hyatt Hotel. The landscape was designed by Thomas Charles Weston (of Weston Park) who was the Officer in Charge of Afforestation in Canberra’s early days.
The location of Old Canberra House on the highest point of the ridge are significant in understanding the hierarchical nature of early Canberra: this illustrious residence was the home of the Administrator, at the top of the hierarchy; high and mid-level public servants were provided with modest cottages (as seen along Balmain Crescent and Liversidge Street); and the low-level workers were accommodated on the lowest part of the ridge, in canvas tents and basic weatherboard dormitories (such as the current Lennox House).
Old Canberra House has had a diverse history of occupation. After its use as the Administrator’s residence, it was used to house senior members of the Federal Capital Advisory Committee and the Federal Capital Commission (early planning bodies for Canberra). During the 1930s it was used as a residence for several British High Commissioners, before being converted into Canberra’s Commonwealth Club. Following the transfer of ownership to ANU, it was developed as the ANU Staff Club, the only club of its type in Australia to allow the intermingling of staff and students. The building is now used by the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.

Canberra House will be the first building constructed in the Australian Houses Project and is a Centenary of Canberra Project, and for the first time progress can be followed on our Facebook page and also on a Construction page on our website.  Stay tuned for further developments.

Plans and images have been provided The National Archives of Australia and used with it's permission.

 

Sultanate Of Oman: Jabrin Fort.

With the assistance of the Ministry of Tourism in Oman and the Consulate General of the Sultanate of Oman,
a scale replica of the Jabrin Fort has been constructed for display within the International Area, click here to link to the Oman page.
 

Israel: Masada Northern Palace

With funding assistance from the Embassy of Israel to Australia, a replica of the Northern Palace at the world heritage site of Masada has been constructed.  The replica is a reconstruction of the original palace as constructed by King Herod, over 2000 years ago.  Click here to visit the Israel page.

Australian Houses Project

 The Australian houses project will be both fascinating and educational.

  

With the assistance of Robert Irving, renown expert on Australian architecture, we are well  into the planing stage of our next project to construct Australian domestic dwellings, from Aboriginal shelters through Federation to today's modern homes.  Over 50 buildings have been selected and the time consuming process of planning and development is underway, this is a long term project, stay tuned for future developments.