Kirribilli House has been the Prime Minister’s official Sydney residence since 1956.
The history of Kirribilli House began in 1854 when Adolphus Frederic Feez purchased an area of approximately half a hectare at Kirribilli Point for £200 from J L Travers who at that time owned Admiralty House, then known as ‘Wotonga’. In 1855 Feez erected a Gothic revival style residence, Kirribilli House, on the site.
From 1860 to 1919, ownership of Kirribilli House passed through the Terry, Taylor Lawry and McCrae families before it was advertised for sale on 20 June 1919. The property was purchased by Mr Arthur Allen for £10,000.
When it was reported that Mr Allen planned to sub-divide the land, there was great public agitation for the house and gardens to be preserved. In response, Prime Minister Hughes gave his approval for the purchase or compulsory acquisition of the property and the land was resumed by special Commonwealth Gazette on 17 January 1920.
For some years the house was used to accommodate members of the Governor‑General’s staff when Admiralty House was being used by the Governor-General. On some occasions the Governor-General stayed there when on short visits to Sydney.
In 1930 the Commonwealth Government decided to discontinue use of Admiralty House as the residence of the Governor-General when in Sydney and subsequently Kirribilli House was leased to tenants, a practice which continued until 1953. (The decision to discontinue using Admiralty House was reversed some six years later.)
In 1956-57 the Commonwealth Government restored Kirribilli House for use as a residence for overseas guests of the Commonwealth and the Prime Minister of the day and his family. This restoration was undertaken by Mr J L S Mansfield of the firm of Fowell, Mansfield and Maclurcan. Since then, Kirribilli House has welcomed royalty, heads of state and heads of government. The first guest of the Commonwealth after the renovation was His Excellency Mr Nobusuke Kishi, Prime Minister of Japan.
A redecoration was carried out in the 1980s, with the assistance of decorator Mr David Spode.
In the late 1990s further restoration and refurbishment work was undertaken. The doorway between the drawing and dining rooms was widened and the two rooms were refurbished. In consultation with the then Australian Heritage Commission (AHC), the main staircase was reconstructed to its 1880s position in the central hallway and the hallway refurbished. In supporting this work the AHC stated it ‘believes that the move will enhance national estate values’. These works were undertaken with the assistance of heritage architect Mr Clive Lucas OBE and interior designer Ms Rosemary Lucas, under the guidance of the Official Establishments Trust.
The cost of running and maintaining Kirribilli House is met by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet from monies appropriated to it for this purpose by Parliament in the annual budget.
Charity Events at Kirribilli House
The Prime Minister announced on 26 May 2008 that charities would be invited to use Kirribilli House to help them raise funds for their important work.
> Read more about Charity Events at Kirribilli House
