5 /5 Adam G: This cottage is the original home of Victorias first Lt. Governor, Charles Joseph La Trobe from 1839 until his departure for England in 1854. The cottage was made from prefabricated materials brought from England to be the home of La Trobe, his Swiss wife Sophie and their children.
La Trobes 2-bedroom a simple yet elegant cottage, a Swiss chalet type of house. Its Melbourne’s oldest surviving building, and forms an important part of Victoria’s history.
The cottage is open on Sundays from 2- 4pm (October-April), Australia Day, 26 January, and some special event days. However, its closed on Christmas Day, days of extreme heat and on the Grand Prix weekend in March.
Charles La Trobe had immense significance in the development of Melbourne. He was one of the founders of the Royal Botanic Gardens, State Library, Museum of Victoria, National Gallery of Victoria and University of Melbourne. La Trobe Street and La Trobe University are named after him and theres a statue of him in the forecourt of the State Library of Victoria and another at La Trobe University.