Sloan’s Cottage receives facelift through Museum of Perth program

Heritage building Sloan’s Cottage has been given a much-needed upgrade, thanks to a Federally funded program co-ordinated by the Museum of Perth.

The Work for the Dole program has seen interior renovations to the heritage building completed, as well as a large vegetable garden installed next to the cottage.

Established six months ago by trainees and the Museum of Perth’s gardens co-ordinator, the garden bears a variety of organic fruits and vegetables using similar growing techniques used in the early 1900s.

Inside, the cottage floorboards have been oiled and walls repaired and repainted in soft heritage colours of greens and creams, with kangaroo paw plants donated by the City of Kwinana to feature in a wildflower walk on the site.

Mayor Carol Adams said the efforts of trainees and staff had breathed new life into the historic building.

“Heritage-listed in 1992, Sloan’s Cottage has had a number of community groups care for it over the years and remains a landmark building in Kwinana,” she said.

“It was lovely to see it refreshed on the inside and rows upon rows of produce now planted beside it.”

Sloan’s Cottage was built in 1911 by George Sloan and his sons Trevor and Melville, who continued to reside in the cottage until 1954, when the Kwinana Council took over the building.

With the building facing demolition in the 1970s, former Kwinana Deputy Mayor Wally Procter was able to secure a government grant in 1975 to restore and preserve the building, which has had several community groups care for it to this day.