Kingston's Historic House
Проект: Au pokies
History of Kingston’s Historic House
Photograph: Kingston House, Kingston Park, 1927
Photographer: Gray, F. Malcolm
General Description:
The photograph captures the opening of Kingston House as a public facility after its purchase by the government. People are seen walking around the grounds, marking the transition of this historic property into a public reserve.
Back of Photograph:
Reproduced in the ‘Chronicle’, Feb. 19, 1927. / Kingston House, Kingston Park. / Feb. 1927 / (Taken on the occasion of the opening of Kingston Park as a public reserve.)
Kingston House: A Historical Landmark
Kingston House, located in Kingston Park, is the oldest building in the Holdfast Bay Council area. Situated on a three-acre reserve above the Kingston Park Caravan Park, it offers a stunning view of the coastline. The house holds significant historical importance as the country home of the Kingston family, who played a pivotal role in the founding of South Australia and the nation.
Early History (1839–1851)
- 1839: George Strickland Kingston, Deputy Surveyor to Colonel Light, purchased the property.
- 1840: Robert Bristow was granted permission to build an inn on the site to cater to quarry workers and sailors. The original structure consisted of three prefabricated timber rooms shipped from England, surrounded by a verandah.
- 1851: George Kingston returned to the property, expanded the house, and added a two-storey eastern wing, transforming it into the family’s permanent residence.
The Kingston Family Legacy
The house remained in the Kingston family for over 70 years, until the death of George’s son’s widow, Lucy, in 1919. In the 1920s, the South Australian State Government purchased the property, and it was restored in 1983 due to popular demand.
George Strickland Kingston
Born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland, in August 1807, George Strickland Kingston was a key figure in the establishment of Adelaide. He arrived in South Australia aboard the Cygnet in 1836 as Deputy Surveyor to Colonel William Light. Known for his brusque and determined personality, George played a significant role in shaping the colony.
Charles Cameron Kingston
Charles Cameron Kingston, the youngest child of George Kingston, was born in Adelaide in 1850. A prominent lawyer and politician, Charles served as Premier of South Australia from 1893 to 1901 and was instrumental in social reforms, including:
- Factory regulations and set wages
- Industrial conciliation
- Establishment of the State Bank
- Married Women’s Property Act
- Female suffrage (second in the world)
- Women’s right to stand for Parliament (first in the world)
Charles was also a leading advocate for Australian Federation and contributed to the drafting of the Australian Constitution. He died in 1908, leaving behind a legacy of progressive change.
Historical Newspaper Articles
-
State Funeral of Charles Cameron Kingston (1908):
Leader (Melbourne, Vic.), 23 May 1908.
The state funeral of Charles Cameron Kingston was a significant event, reflecting his influence and contributions to the nation. -
Death of Mr. Kingston (1908):
Leader (Melbourne, Vic.), 16 May 1908.
The article highlights Charles Kingston’s notable career and his impact on Australian politics. -
Charles Cameron Kingston (1908):
Gadfly (Adelaide, SA), 13 May 1908.
The obituary describes Charles as one of Australia’s greatest patriots and a staunch advocate for democracy.
Visit Kingston’s Historic House
Today, Kingston House stands as a testament to the Kingston family’s contributions to South Australia and the nation. Visitors can explore the historic grounds and learn about the family’s legacy.
Contact Us:
For more information about visiting, hiring the venue, or volunteering, please visit our website or contact us directly.
© 2025 Kingston’s Historic House | Website by IDA
🏠 Адрес
Kingston House, 5 Cameron Ave, Kingston Park SA 5049, Australia
🌐 Сайт
kingstonshistorichouse.com📞 Телефон
+61883581666Отзывы (100)
Lovely High Tea. The history talk was very interesting. A must listen.
Sunday Devonshire Teas not to be missed.
Beautiful venue for our family reunion 9mths ago. Fran is amazing. Whilst we only hired & required a few rooms, the whole venue was all to ourselves for our special day. Highly recommend. Gorgeous place. Everyone loved it.
I 😍 it there
Lovely venue for a quiet private party.
Devonshire tea in historic house at a great price. Freshly made, beautifully presented and so tasty. Choice of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. Wonderful ladies who volunteer their time on a Sunday to provide this service. All monies they take is spent looking after the property. Can not recommend highly enough.
For $10 we only got one small scone. The serving staff were lovely. Beautiful dining room and grounds.
Devonshire tea, or coffee with 2 Home-made scones, jam and cream Sundays 2.30pm. Make a booking. History of the house also recommended
lovely staff, beautiful views and amazing history
Very nice set up! The Pinic tables are comfortable and reasonably maintained. The bbq plates are free and very quick to heat up. A small Playground for kids You can enjoy the ocean view as you cook or eat Highly recommended
Love this place . My place to go for BBQ and spend quality time with my MRs . What a priceless view for no charge. Must visit for visitors around adelaide .
Nice house with a good reserve.Public toilets,playground,. BBQ and seats some with shade for the afternoon heat.
Good one
delightful tea and scones, friendly volunteers, lovely atmosphere
Wonderful to preserve such structures. The old house is well used, being available for hire. The Friends group also serve delicious Devonshire teas on Sundays throughout much of the year. If you follow the brick path in the grounds there are brick insets with information on the history of people and families from the local area.
Beautiful place for event.
Kingston House beautiful but gutters need cleaning out and gutter guard. Can see the structural damage the water is doing....surely the Council can do basic maintenance to preserve this building
Nice view 🤙 🌅
Nice picnic area under the trees with views of the see. Very relaxing. Toilet facilities nearby.
Always a pleasure to have scones and tea and agrate place for club meetings.
Pretty nice place, nice lawn and nice tennis courts 👁️
Great place to have afternoon tea with scones.
Lovely location with beautiful views.
Important piece of Australia's federation history, plus scones!
Great devonshire tea. Highly recommend
The caravan park nearby has wonderful views and amenities. Only metres from the beach too.
Very good service excellent scones lovely
The grounds are immaculate and staff were fabulous
We loved the atmosphere that was created at the puppies pawty.
Beautiful venue. Highly recommended high tea
Lovely experience
Lovely scones beautiful building Friendly staff
Great place to relax for an hr or ten mins its open space, views and fresh salt air still give you a sense of what it was like when it was the only house to be seen for miles many years ago.
Great afternoon tea
Love this place and its history. Beautiful Devonshire tea is an added bonus.
It was OK. Nothing really special.
Its a place you must visit
One of the most historic places in Adelaide the lovely volunteers who run the Devonshire Teas (every Sun 2:30 - 4:30, $8 pp cash) & local events, do the most amazing job of raising finances & more importantly bringing atmosphere & life back into this heritage site. With a veiw of the ocean from the top of Kingston Hill & delish tea n scones with jam n cream ..what more could you ask for relaxing on a Sunday afternoon! Love it!
Beautiful place. Well worth a look for functions.
We came back with a group of families and friends after 10 years of busy living. The scones are still as good as how they were in the memories. Loved and appreciated! Thank you for all your volunteering work.
Excellent afternoon. Stunning views and interesting history.
Nice
Beautiful place
Lovely historic house with magnificent views.
Nice place for a picnic.
Restrooms nice grass area great view of beach beautiful place to have a picnic and play with the kids
Chill
Very nice place for day out. Absolutely love it.
Nice
Friends wedding. Devonshire tea. Very nice.
Beautiful cream tea and bonus historical entertainment plus musical delights from the ladies from Onkaparinga Harmony Chorus
A very nice venue for a Sunday afternoon Devonshire Tea, with a generous serve of jam & cream. What a magnificent old house!
Beautiful coastline and walking trails in surrounding area.
Devonshire teas are to die for, amazing scones, especially on the 2nd sunday of each month.
A historical landmark in Seacliff. Every Sunday around 2:30 the house opens its door for English tea and the famous scones. The location is great and the volunteer there are very friendly and helpful.
Nice parks outside and picnic area
Always clean and well kept. Has beautiful veiws and convenient bbq and picnic tables.
Good for weddings
Great place, lovely cream tea and tour