Its current name originates in the fact that it served as the residence for the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's Australian Squadron from 1885 to 1913.
The original building on the site was completed, as a private dwelling, in mid-to-late 1843, by John George Nathaniel Gibbes, the then Collector of Customs for New South Wales and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. A portrait of Gibbes, painted in 1808, hangs in the house.
Before the arrival of British settlers in Sydney Harbour, the AboriginalCammeraygal people lived along the Kirribilli and Milsons Point foreshores, and in the surrounding bushland. The area was a fertile fishing ground, and the name Kirribilli is derived from the Aboriginal word kiarabilli, which means "good fishing spot". The name Cammeraygal is displayed on the North Sydney Municipal Council emblem, and also gave name to the suburb of Cammeray.
Kirribilli was settled early in the history of the Colony. One of the first records of land being granted on the North Shore was 12 hectares (30 acres) on the North side of the Harbour of Port Jackson opposite Sydney Cove on 20 February 1794[5] to an expired convict, Samuel Lightfoot.[6][7][8] Lightfoot was a former convict, born in about 1763 and transported to Australia for seven years for stealing clothing. He arrived with the First Fleet in 1788 on the Charlotte.[9][10][11]
In 1794 Thomas Muir, a Scottish constitutional reformer, was sentenced to transportation for sedition. Thomas Muir purchased Lightfoot's farm. Muir also had a cottage on what is now Circular Quay. It is likely that the farm was located at the Jeffrey Street end of Kirribilli (not near Admiralty House) and was named "Huntershill" by Thomas Muir, after his father's home in Scotland. Thomas Muir escaped from the colony in 1796 aboard an American brig, the Otter.
Four years later the Colonial Secretary recorded that the land grant to Lightfoot was cancelled and given to Robert Ryan in 1800 with no mention of the intermediate (private) sale to Muir.[5] Ryan had worked in Norfolk Island, both as a soldier and also a settler. The 12 hectares (30 acres) of Lightfoot's Grant was cancelled and included in a 49-hectare (120-acre) grant to Ryan for his service in the Royal Marines and the New South Wales Corps. The corresponding entry in the Register of Land Grants states Cancelled, and a New Grant given to Robert Ryan for 90 acres in addition to this Allotment, by Governor John Hunter. See the third Register, Folio 37.[6][8][12] This grant to Ryan included almost all Kirribilli and later maps referred. By 1801, the property had passed into the hands of Robert Campbell, a wealthy Sydney merchant. Campbell built Australia's first shipbuilding yards in 1807, at the site that is now occupied by the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli. Part of the land in Kirribilli was also briefly used for quarantine purposes in 1814 for the convict ship Surry. Over 46 persons had died during the voyage of typhoid including 36 convicts.[13]
Campbell's property in Kirribilli was used for grazing under lease to Campbell's friend James Milson, hence the name "Milson's Point". Milson's Point is the next point along from Kirribilli point, where the Sydney Harbour Bridge now crosses the harbour. A plan of sub-division was drawn up in the 1840s by Campbell.[14] In 1842, the 2.0-hectare (5-acre) site where Admiralty House now sits was leased to the Collector of Customs for the Colony, Lieutenant-Colonel (later full Colonel) Gibbes, MLC. Gibbes intended to build a private home on the site. (Since his arrival in the colony in 1834, Gibbes and his family had been living in Henrietta Villa, also known as the Naval Villa, on Sydney's Point Piper, under a leasehold arrangement.)
Private residence
Colonel John George Nathaniel Gibbes and Elizabeth Gibbes, 1865. The building that would become Admiralty House was initially erected by the Gibbes family.
On the superb Kirribilli Point location, Gibbes erected, between 1842 and 1843, a graceful single-storey house with wide verandahs and elegant French doors. Gibbes designed the house, which he called "Wotonga" (or "Woottonga"), himself. The stone for the house's walls was quarried locally and the hardwood and cedar joinery came from George Coleson's timber-yard in George Street, Sydney. Gibbes engaged James Hume, a well-known builder who dabbled in ecclesiastical architecture, to supervise the construction of the building and its stables. Gibbes, however, hired his own masons, bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers and ironmongers to work on the project, paying each of them separately as work progressed. Gibbes used the Custom Department's cutter to commute to and from the building site. Once completed, Gibbes' L-shaped residence featured a plain, yet stylish, double façade to maximise the building's magnificent, sweeping views across Sydney Harbour. These views enabled Gibbes to monitor shipping traffic in and out of Darling Harbour and, more importantly, Circular Quay, where the Sydney Customs House was situated.
Today, Wotonga forms the core of Admiralty House and the building's 180-degree, east–west panoramic sight-lines are even more spectacular than they were in Gibbes' day, owing to the subsequent high-rise growth of Sydney's CBD.
Gibbes, incidentally, was said to be the illegitimate child of Frederick, Duke of York, (King George III's second son). This reputed connection to the British monarchy adds spice[citation needed] to the house on Kirribilli Point's subsequent role as a vice-regal establishment.[15]
In 1849, Robert Campbell died and the executors of the estate sold the property, comprising the house and 2.0 hectares (5 acres) land, to Gibbes for about A£1,400. On 27 December 1851, Gibbes, who was contemplating a departure from the Customs Service at the age of 64, sold the property to James Lindsay Travers, a merchant of Macquarie Place, Sydney, for £1,533. (Gibbes subsequently changed his mind about leaving his position as head of the NSW Customs Department; instead, he leased Greycliffe House at Shark Beach, Vaucluse, from the Wentworth family and remained in Sydney for the better part of eight years, eventually retiring to Yarralumla homestead, now the official Canberra residence of the Governor-General of Australia, in 1859.)
A small portion of the Kirribilli Point land, a little over 0.40-hectare (1-acre) was sold by Travers in 1854 to a merchant, Adolph Frederic Feez. On this land, Kirribilli House was built in neo-Gothic style . Kirribilli House, situated next door to Admiralty House, serves today as the official Sydney residence of the Prime Minister of Australia.
Crimean War interlude
In 1855, during the Crimean War, Governor William Denison reclaimed the tip of Kirribilli Point, on which fortifications were built. These fortifications, along with Fort Denison, were intended to strengthen the defences of Sydney Harbour, as it was feared that the Russians might attack. In 1856, Lieutenant-Colonel George Barney, a Royal Engineers officer, lived in "Wotonga" and designed and supervised the installation of a battery of five, 8-inch (20cm) muzzle-loading guns on Kirribilli Point, as well as constructing the martello tower at Fort Denison.
Lassetter, Wilshire, and Cadell
The residence, when it was known as Wotonga, and owned by Thomas Cadell, c. 1880
In 1856, Lieutenant-Colonel Barney bought the house and its grounds so that he could view all of the sites that he had fortified. In September 1860, Barney sold the house and grounds for £9,000 to George Alfred Lloyd. In 1866, it was let to Frederick Lassetter and subsequently to James Robert Wilshire, a former Lord Mayor of Sydney and a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1858 to 1861.
In April 1874, Wotonga House was auctioned and bought for £10,100 by Thomas Cadell, a Sydney merchant and member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1881 to 1896. At that time, the house was described as possessing a wide verandah, a spacious entrance hall, drawing and dining rooms, 10 bedrooms and the "'usual rooms"" in the main part of the house, as well as having a large courtyard, servants' rooms, kitchen, stables, etc., with an abundant water supply, which never failed in the driest weather.
Admiralty
In 1885, the Royal Navy's Australian Squadron was raised to the status of an admiral's command in recognition of the colony's growing importance and the colonial government bought "Wotonga" as his residence. The house was renamed "Admiralty House" and additions were made to the property. A second storey was added to the house, as was a colonnaded verandah. A neo-Gothic style gate lodge was also added to the grounds, as was a covered Admiral's Walk leading down to the berth for the Admiral's barge below.
In 1913, this part of the history of Admiralty House came to a close when the last British admiral left the house and the Royal Australian Navy took over responsibility for the naval defence of Australia.
With the departure of the last British admiral from Admiralty House in 1913, the Admiralty handed the house back to the New South Wales Government. This provided Lord Denman's successor, Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, with a Sydney residence. Admiralty House was the residence of the Governors-General for the following fifteen years.
Admiralty House in 1930. The building was closed that year, and was not reopened until 1936.
In 1930, during the Great Depression, the Scullin ministry had Admiralty House closed, and its contents were sold at Auction in 1931. Governor-General Sir Isaac Isaacs, appointed in 1931, was the first Governor-General to live permanently at Yarralumla, in Canberra. During his term, Admiralty House remained empty and neglected. Sir Isaac described it in 1934 as being "stripped of its glamour, with no furnishings but a few fine mirrors, its garden wild and overgrown". In 1936, the State of New South Wales reopened Admiralty House as the Sydney residence for the new Governor-General, Lord Gowrie. The house has been used ever since as a vice-regal establishment.
Formal title to Admiralty House finally passed from the State Government to the Commonwealth by Crown grant in 1948, on the condition that the house was to be used only as a residence for the Governor-General.
Admiralty House is an official residence of the Governor-General of Australia, and accommodates important overseas visitors to Sydney. The Royal Family and other dignitaries, such as the President of the United States and the Pope, are entertained at Admiralty House when they are in Sydney.
Admiralty House, its grounds, and Kirribilli House are usually open to the public once a year, sometime in spring when the gardens are at their best. Security concerns caused the cancellation of openings from 2001 to 2005.
Architecture
Interior
The ground floor of the house contains a vestibule and hallway, two reception rooms, a dining-room, a study and an elaborate central staircase. The residents' private rooms are on the upper floors. A landing on the staircase features elaborate stained glass panels in its windows. Kitchens and other service areas are housed in a wing added to the original structure. A stone gatehouse guards the front entrance to the establishment.
The house is furnished extensively with colonial furniture, porcelain, ornaments and numerous historical artworks such as portraits of Captain James Cook and some former Governors-General, including Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson. Many of these items were acquired for the nation by The Australiana Fund.
Government House, colloquially known as Yarralumla, is the official residence of the governor-general of Australia. It is located in the suburb of Yarralumla in the Australian capital city of Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory. The main residence is set amid 54 hectares of parkland. The house and its associated grounds were added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.
Kirribilli House is the secondary official residence of the prime minister of Australia. Located in the Northern Sydney suburb of Kirribilli, New South Wales, the cottage and its associated grounds are located at the far eastern end of Kirribilli Avenue. It is one of two official prime ministerial residences, the primary official residence being The Lodge in Canberra. The house, gardens and grounds are on the Commonwealth Heritage List.
The North Shore is a region within Northern Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia, generally referring to suburbs located on the northern side of Sydney Harbour up to Wahroonga, and suburbs between Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove River.
Kirribilli is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. One of the city's most established and affluent neighbourhoods, it is located three kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area administered by North Sydney Council. Kirribilli is a harbourside suburb, sitting on the Lower North Shore of Sydney Harbour. Kirribilli House is one of the two official residences of the Prime Minister of Australia.
Alfred Ludlam was a leading New Zealand politician, horticulturist and farmer who owned land at Wellington and in the Hutt Valley. A member of three of New Zealand's four earliest parliaments, he was also a philanthropist and a founder of Wellington's Botanic Garden.
Yarralumla is a large inner south suburb of Canberra, the capital city of Australia. Located approximately 3.5 km (2.2 mi) south-west of the city, Yarralumla extends along the south-west bank of Lake Burley Griffin from Scrivener Dam to Commonwealth Avenue.
Milsons Point is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The suburb is located 3 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of North Sydney Council.
In Australia, Lower North Shore refers to the northern suburbs of Sydney adjoining Sydney Harbour. The three bodies of water that surround the Lower North Shore are Lane Cove River on its western border, Sydney Harbour on its south side, and Middle Harbour on its east. The Lower North Shore borders the Upper North Shore when the Lane Cover River and Middle Harbour are at their closest.
Cremorne Point is a harbourside suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia located six kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of North Sydney Council.
Sir Terence Aubrey Murray was an Irish-Australian pastoralist, parliamentarian and knight of the realm. He had the double distinction of being, at separate times, both the Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and the President of the New South Wales Legislative Council. From 1837 to 1859 he owned the Yarralumla estate, which now serves as the official Canberra residence of the Governor-General of Australia.
The Australiana Fund is an independent fundraising organisation responsible for the purchase and maintenance of artworks in the four Official Residences of the Governor-General of Australia and the Prime Minister of Australia.
Northern Sydney is a large metropolitan area in Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on the north shore of Sydney Harbour and Parramatta River. The region embraces suburbs in Sydney's north-east, north and inner north west. Northern Sydney is divided into distinctive regions such as the North Shore, Northern Beaches and Forest District.
Robert Campbell (1769–1846) was a merchant and politician in Sydney. He was a member of the first New South Wales Legislative Council. Campbell, a suburb of Canberra was named in his honour, as well as Campbell Island in the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands.
Jeffrey Street or Jeffreys Street is a street located in Kirribilli, famous for being one of the most popular vantage points for views of the city skyline of Sydney, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. The street is located on the Lower North Shore of Sydney Harbour, directly across the harbour from Circular Quay and is a popular destination for tourists, particularly on Australia Day and New Year's Eve. The street leads uphill from the harbour in a northerly direction to the small shopping village of Kirribilli. For many years the area was called the North Shore and the original land grant changed hands a number of times. Over the past 200 years the area has also been called Huntershill, St Leonards, North Sydney, "Kiarabilli", Milsons Point and "Kirribilli Point". The modern spelling Kirribilli was first used in 1853 and the use of Kirribilli as a locality is more recent.
Colonel John George Nathaniel Gibbes was a British army officer who emigrated to Australia in 1834 on his appointment as Collector of Customs for the Colony of New South Wales, an appointment which gave him a seat on the New South Wales Legislative Council and which he held for 25 years.
James Milson was an early settler on the North Shore of Sydney, Australia.
The Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre occupies two restored old stone houses, known as 16 and 18 Fitzroy Street at the northern end of Jeffrey Street, Kirribilli. The houses were built by Henry Hocken Bligh in 1875-1876. Bligh was born on 19 October 1826 in Bodmin, Cornwall England and died at his home on 30 July 1904. The houses were acquired by North Sydney Council in 1974 and the modern day Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre opened in 1976.
Greycliffe House is an historic, two-storey residential dwelling situated in the Sydney suburb of Vaucluse, New South Wales, Australia. Completed in c. 1852 in the Victorian Rustic Gothic style, Greycliffe is listed on the Australian Register of the National Estate and on the Municipality of Woollahra local government heritage list.
Kurraba and Kirribilli were two similar "K-class" ferries on Sydney Harbour. Launched in 1899 and 1900 respectively, the two timber-hulled steamers were built for Sydney Ferries Limited during the boom in cross-harbour ferry travel prior to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
References
1 2 "Admiralty House". The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
1 2 Hoskins, Ian (2008). "Kirribilli". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
↑ Note that this was not the earliest grant on the north shore, earlier grants had occurred since 1792 (e.g. to John or Joseph Carter) at the Field of Mars further up the north shore
1 2 Land grants 1788–1809, page 18-19, Grant No. 151 (believed to be a reproduction of AO reel 2560)
↑ Watson, J H (1931). "Admiralty House and vicinity"(PDF). Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society. 17, part 1. Royal Australian Historical Society. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
↑ Missing land grants in New South Wales, 1792–1800, A. G. L. Shawa
↑ Robert Campbells Estate, Milsons Point and Kirribilli, Sydney (Map). Scale indeterminable. 1840–1849. Map of peninsula at North Sydney showing leases, roads, weather board cottages, jetties, wells, orchards, bee hives, milking bails and stables and the graves of the three typhoid victims and the attending physician from the convict transport Surry. inset. Amicus Number: 8560781 – via National Library of Australia.
↑ Gibbes, Stephen, "John Gibbes: Builder of Admiralty House", North Sydney Historical Journal, Volume 37, Number 1, April 1997, pp.8–12.
Bibliography
Clifford-Smith, Silas; 'Admiralty House', Oxford Companion to Australian Gardens, South Melbourne, 2002
Kerr, John Semple, Admiralty House: A Conservation Plan Developed for the Department of Housing and Construction, Sydney, 1987
Messent, David & McGonigal, David; The Complete Guide to Sydney Harbour; David Messent Photography, 1994
Steele, Jeremy, Sydney Cove to the Heads; The University of Sydney, 1978
Stephensen, PR & Kennedy, Brian; The History and Description of Sydney Harbour; Reed Publishing, 1966 & 1980
Thompson, CJ; Admiralty House, Sydney – Brief History and Catalogue of Contents of State Rooms; Government House, Canberra, 1984
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