In a beautiful park Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne is one of Australia's main attractions - the so-called cottage of Captain Cook. In fact, he a famous English traveler in this house did not live - the house was built by his parents, James and Grace Cook in 1755 in the village of Great Ayton (UK). But the researchers believe that Captain Cook at least stayed in the house, visiting his father and mother.

In 1933, the former mistress of the house the woman decided to sell it on the condition that the building will remain in England. As a result of lengthy negotiations failed to convince her to sign an agreement in which the word "England" were replaced by the word "Empire". So house became the property of the Australian Government, which offered him £ 800, which is almost three times the original price.

It is interesting that all expenses for the purchase of the house and its carriage in the "green continent" took over from Melbourne businessman Russell Grimveyd. In 1934, the house was dismantled, packed in a box and 40 253 barrels and transported to Australia. The question of where exactly recreate the house, which has great historical value for all Australians, did not arise - Grimveyd gave it to residents of Victoria to the centennial of the founding of Melbourne. Around the cottage planted cuttings of the very ivy that grew on the English front lawn Cook. Their advance was cut and brought to Australia, along with the house itself.

Today, around the cottage Cook split real English garden. The house is considered a historic landmark, although very few things that are in it, really belonged to the family Cook. However, its interior, household items and utensils reflect the life of the era of the great navigator. Here you can see a statue of James Cook, a portrait of his wife Elizabeth Butts and a portrait of the entire family of cookies.