Australia as a nation is less than 250 years old if the year 1770 when James Cook discovered the land is regarded as a starting point for its modern history. The short history has not produced a big wealth of cultural heritages. For this reason, Australia spare no efforts to protect its culture. The cottage of James Cook is a perfect example of the government and people's effort.

    Built in 1755, Cooks' Cottage is the oldest building in Australia, with a fascinating past. It's a must when exploring Melbourne. Originally located in Yorkshire, England, the cottage was brought to the Fitzroy Gardens by Sir Russell Grimwade in 1934. In 1901 Australia came into being with its capital in Melbourne. To celebrate the birth of the nation, a statue of Captain Cook was built in Sydney where Cook had sailed in and set his steps onto the land. Stamps were printed in honor of the English explorer. However, Australian people would have to travel all the way to Britain to admire the life of the discoverer, so Sir Russell Grimwade, an Australian businessman, offered to buy the old house of James Cook in Yorkshire and relocate it to Melbourne when Melbourne celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1934. Amazingly, each piece was carefully numbered, packed into boxes and then shipped to Australia, along with cuttings of the original coverings. It took nearly a month to reach Melbourne.

    In fact, explorer Captain James Cook never lived in the cottage-he'd been away from home for almost ten years when his father built it-but this connection to the Cook family was enough to prompt Grimwade to transport the cottage to the other side of the world.