Schwerkolt Cottage

Schwerkolt Cottage is a pioneer cottage built around 1880 at Mitcham, Victoria.

The August Schwerkolt (1822-1886) emigrated with his wife Paulina (1823-1884) from the town of Świebodzin in Prussia arriving at Hobson’s Bay on 20 December 1849. They settled initially in Northcote, where a number of fellow Germans had already become established. On 14 December 1861, the Schwerkolt’s purchased 88 acres of land beside the Mullum Mullum Creek or Deep Creek, Mitcham, and with their children worked both properties for a time, with a market garden at Northcote, and charcoal-burning at Mitcham, while they cleared the Mitcham property for mixed farming. Schwerkolt built the first house at Mitcham 1864 using stone excavated from near the creek, and progressively added a number of other outbuildings, including a stone smokehouse, a second timber cottage and stables, blacksmith and a wine cellar. Schwerkolt built a third cottage in stone with three rooms around 1886. August married a second time (to Wilhelmina) in 1885, and the cottage was only partially finished when he died in January 1886.^[1]

The building was condemned in 1960 by the Department of Housing, but the impending demolition resulted in the local community campaigning to preserve it. The former City of Nunawading purchased the site in 1964, and restoration was carried out by a group of volunteers. The restored building was opened by the Governor of Victoria, Sir Rohan Delacombe, on 17 November 1965. Further reconstruction of original buildings including the blacksmith and stable, stone beehive smokehouse, and the underground wine cellars were undertaken, and new buildings were erected to house the collection of the Whitehorse Historical Society.

The cottage and other buildings are now a local history museum, surrounded by 2.25 hectares of gardens and bushland, and adjacent to Yarran Dheran bushland park.^[2] The stone cottage has been restored to its original condition and furnished in a style of the period and houses items curated by the Whitehorse Historical Society.^[1] The cottage is of an unusual design with three rooms opening onto a verandah with individual external doors but no doors between the rooms. this is believed to be a vernacular style from Schwerkolt's homeland.^[1]

Opening Hours; Weekends and Public Holidays, 2.00pm-5.00pm and Group Tours by appointment on weekdays only.^[3] there are regular open days, a festival and special events including traditional crafts, held at the cottage throughout the year.^[4]

References

External links

• City of Whitehorse: Schwerkolt Cottage & Museum Complex