Originally located in Yorkshire, England, and built by the parents of Captain James Cook, the cottage was brought to Melbourne by Sir Russell Grimwade in 1934. Astonishingly, each brick was individually numbered, packed into barrels and then shipped to Australia.
Navigator and explorer Captain James Cook never lived in the cottage – he’d been away from home for almost 10 years when his father built it – but this connection to the Cook family was enough to prompt Grimwade to transport the cottage to the other side of the world.
Combining modern interpretations of Captain Cook's adventures, centuries-old antiques, a delightful English cottage garden, volunteers dressed in 18th century costumes and an interpretive space in the stable, Cooks' Cottage is a fascinating step back in time.
Entry to the cottage includes a comprehensive fact sheet for a self-guided tour. Available in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Thai, Indonesian, Japanese, German, French, Vietnamese and Korean.
School tours and group tours and visits are also available.
Tickets and souvenirs can be purchased from the Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Centre, just 100 metres away.
