Blundells Cottage
A six-roomed stone cottage on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin, Blundells Cottage preserves the domestic history of colonial Canberra and the working families who shaped the landscape before the Federal Capital was established.
At a glance
This heritage stone cottage stands on the northern shore of Lake Burley Griffin, built around 1858 on what was then the Molonglo River floodplain. A modest but solidly constructed dwelling, it represents early European settlement in the region and family life across generations.
History
George P. Campbell built the cottage around 1858 for William Ginn, his ploughman, who occupied it with his family until 1874. Flora and George Blundell subsequently moved in and lived there until about 1933—George working as a bullock driver for Campbell while Flora practised as a midwife. In 1913, the surrounding Duntroon estate was acquired by the Commonwealth of Australia to form part of the newly developing Federal Capital Territory, yet the Blundells remained in residence. Harry and Alice Oldfield took over the cottage in 1933. The building was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on 15 July 2005.
What you see
The cottage is a six-roomed stone structure, characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century colonial domestic architecture in rural New South Wales. Its construction and materials reflect the building practices and available resources of the 1850s.
Cultural significance
Blundells Cottage offers insight into the lives of working-class families in colonial Australia and the gradual transformation of the Canberra region from agricultural land to purpose-built capital city. The building’s survival on the lakeshore documents personal and community history spanning three quarters of a century, from the 1850s through the early twentieth century.
Key facts
- Location: Northern shore of Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra, Australia
- Coordinates: −35.293, 149.142
- Built: Circa 1858
- Heritage status: Commonwealth Heritage List (added 15 July 2005)
- Original residents: William Ginn (1858–1874); Flora and George Blundell (1874–1933); Harry and Alice Oldfield (1933 onward)
Practical information & getting there
Blundells Cottage is located on the northern shore of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra. For current opening hours, access conditions, and visiting details, consult local tourism resources or the National Capital Authority.
Sources & resources
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