No, Captain James Cook never lived in Cooks’ Cottage, which can be found in Melbourne‘s Fitzroy Gardens. Cook’s parents lived there, and it was shipped to Melbourne in 1934. There is a small museum inside.
What is Cooks’ Cottage?
Perhaps the oddest Melbourne attraction lies in the Fitzroy Gardens just to the east of the central grid. The gardens themselves are majestic when the sun so much as threatens to show its head. Come lunchtime, office workers swarm out to eat their packed lunches on the grass.
In the middle of the park, however, is a building that really doesn’t belong. This is Cooks’ Cottage, and the important thing about it is the apostrophe. Cooks’ Cottage was constructed in 1755 in the northern English village of Great Ayton. It was the home of James and Grace Cook. Their son – a rather more famous James – possibly never set foot in it. But that didn’t stop the whole cottage being shipped to Victoria and reconstructed brick by brick in 1934.
So a cottage that Captain Cook never lived in, sited in a city he never went near, has become a memorial to the great explorer. Good trivia; dubious attraction.
What’s inside the Captain Cook museum?
Inside there is a small museum about James Cook’s life. For all his adventures mapping the coast of Newfoundland, monitoring the Transit of Venus in Tahiti and getting killed by native Hawaiians, the most striking thing that you leave with is the effect Cook’s travels had on his family life.
He was married to his wife Elizabeth for 16 years, but they only spent four of them together. He missed the births of all six of his children, three of which died in infancy. The other three didn’t fare much better. One drowned in a hurricane, one succumbed to scarlet fever and the other drowned on his way out to his ship after his brother’s funeral. Poor Elizabeth outlived her husband by 56 years and the last of her children by 41 years.
Five great things to do while you’re in Melbourne
- 🏙️ Get to know the city’s history and culture on a laneways walking tour.
- 🍷 Take a Yarra Valley day tour with indulgent wine-tasting.
- 🚴 Cover far more of Melbourne’s highlights on an electric bike tour.
- 🛶 Kayak along the Yarra River at sunset.
- 🍽️ Discover Melbourne’s multicultural dining scene on a top-rated food tour.
Cooks’ Cottage, Melbourne: key visitor information
Ticket prices change periodically — always check the current rate at whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au or at the Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Centre before visiting. Tickets are purchased from the Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Centre, 100 metres from the cottage.
| Question | Information |
|---|---|
| What are the opening hours of Cooks’ Cottage? | Open daily, 10am–4pm. Last entry is at 3:45pm. Closed Christmas Day. Confirm opening days before visiting, as hours have varied. |
| How much do Cooks’ Cottage tickets cost? | $8.20 for adults. Concession $6.10. Children (5–15 years) $4.50. Family (2 adults, 2 children) approximately $22. Children under five are free. Prices are subject to change — check the current rate before visiting. |
| Where do I buy Cooks’ Cottage tickets? | From the Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Centre, approximately 100 metres from the cottage. |
| Is Cooks’ Cottage free to enter? | No. Entry to the cottage and museum requires a ticket. The surrounding Fitzroy Gardens are free to enter. |
| Where is Cooks’ Cottage? | Fitzroy Gardens, Wellington Parade (corner Clarendon Street), East Melbourne VIC 3002. |
| Is there parking at Cooks’ Cottage? | There is no dedicated car park. Street parking is available around the Fitzroy Gardens, and paid parking is available nearby. The cottage is a short walk from Parliament Station or City Circle tram stops. |
| Is Cooks’ Cottage accessible for wheelchair users? | Parts of the cottage are accessible, but the upper floor is not wheelchair accessible. The Fitzroy Gardens paths are wheelchair friendly, with accessible toilets available in the gardens. |
| Did Captain James Cook ever live in Cooks’ Cottage? | Almost certainly not. The cottage was built in 1755 and was the home of Cook’s parents, James and Grace Cook. Their son possibly never visited. |
| Why was Cooks’ Cottage moved to Melbourne? | The cottage was purchased by the then-Premier of Victoria, Sir Russell Grimwade, as a gift to the people of Victoria to mark the state centenary in 1934. It was dismantled in Yorkshire, shipped to Melbourne and rebuilt brick by brick in the Fitzroy Gardens. |
| Are guided tours available at Cooks’ Cottage? | Yes. A guided cottage tour is available, covering the history of the cottage, life in 18th-century England and the voyages of Captain Cook. A Fitzroy Gardens heritage tour is also offered. |
Things to do near Cooks’ Cottage, Fitzroy Gardens
Fitzroy Gardens – The cottage is set within these beautifully maintained Victorian gardens, which also feature the Conservatory (free entry), the Fairies’ Tree, a model Tudor Village and fountains.
Eureka Skydeck – Around 2km from the cottage, this observation deck on level 88 of the Eureka Tower offers 360-degree views of Melbourne, with an optional glass-floored “Edge” experience.
Block Arcade – A short walk into the CBD, this Victorian-era shopping arcade from 1892 is one of Melbourne’s most beautiful heritage buildings, with mosaic floors, ornate architecture and independent retailers.
Federation Square – At the foot of Swanston Street, Melbourne’s main cultural gathering point is home to the Ian Potter Centre of the National Gallery of Victoria (Australian art, free), ACMI (cinema and screen culture museum) and a wide range of cafés.
Immigration Museum – Around 2km from the cottage, this Collins Street museum tells the stories of the people who have migrated to Victoria over the past 170 years, with changing exhibitions and permanent galleries.
More Melbourne travel
Other Melbourne travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Guide to Birrarung Marr – central Melbourne’s riverside park
- A practical guide to visiting Werribee Open Range Zoo.
- Guides to Melbourne’s best history museums: The Melbourne Museum, Old Melbourne Gaol and Melbourne’s Immigration Museum.
- Carlton Gardens visitor guide: What to see at Melbourne’s World Heritage-listed park.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne visitor guide: Including opening hours and specialist tours.
