ACT HISTORIC PLACES – Calthorpes House, Lanyon Homestead & Mugga-Mugga Cottage

ACT Historic Places invites you to experience 3 historic properties that each have unique and fascinating stories and have been magnificently preserved.  Calthorpes House, Lanyon Homestead and Mugga-Mugga Cottage are highlights, among many, during a visit to Canberra.

Calthorpes House, built in 1927, is a window into an almost forgotten world that will take you back to a time when the Calthorpe family lived in the house.  Original furnishings, household appliances and photos reflect the fashionable ideal of style and taste in the middle class Australian home of the late 1920s.  It’s fascinating to see the appliances, equipment and design of the home, along with the fact the garden also contains an air raid shelter large enough to house 2 families, a reminder that during World War 2 the threat of invasion was considered very real.  Bring Calthorpes House to life with a guided tour, learning about 20th century life in Canberra.  To help conserve the house interiors and collections, museum entry is by guided tour only and tickets must be booked for all ages. Plan your visit and book ahead.  The accompanying video here is a glimpse into the life of the Calthorpes family and the home, told by Dawn Waterhouse (nee Calthorpe).

24 Mugga Way, Red Hill, ACT, 2603

Step back in time and visit Lanyon Homestead, the once remote outpost of the New South Wales Colony and experience a spectacular landscape on the Murrumbidgee River.  Explore buildings that were built by convicts in the early 1800’s, stunning gardens and Homestead that were added as the property—and lifestyles— changed over time.  From the Convict-era outbuildings, to the Victorian family home and the vintage gardens, Lanyon Homestead offers a fascinating window into the past.  When planning your visit, allow a couple of hours to enjoy a tour of the Homestead, stroll through the outbuildings and gardens that made the home and property function, and enjoy a meal at The Homestead café.  The café serves coffee from Bean Culture, buttery pastries from Three Mills, oozy golden toasties from Melted and a refreshing selection of beer from Capital Brewing, in a delightful setting from Thursday to Sunday 10am – 3.15pm.

Lanyon Homestead is open Wednesday to Sunday 10am-4pm  Garden entry is free, house entry is included in tour (tickets required)

Tharwa Drive, Tharwa, ACT, 2620