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Cummins House

Cummins House is an important State Heritage Place in the South Australian Heritage Register. It is located in Novar Gardens in the western beachside suburbs of Adelaide and is one of South Australia's earliest extant buildings. It was the residence of South Australian pioneer and politician John Morphett, purpose-built for him and lived in by five generations of the Morphett family until sold to the State Government in the 1970s. There are very few residences in South Australia occupied by one family for such a long period. Morphett was of considerable significance to the establishment and development of the Colony of South Australia.

Today Cummins House and gardens are carefully tended by the dedicated volunteers of The Cummins Society who run regular guided tours. Tours are the first and third Sunday of the month between 2pm and 4:30pm. Bookings are essential as the number of people in each group is limited to comply with COVID-19 requirements. Tour and Devonshire Tea for $15 per person. For bookings please call 0417 852 320.

In 2020 Cummins House will become the site of the first pilot for the new Activating Heritage program at Heritage SA.
To find out more about the program visit us here.

Can you help us by completing a short survey about how you value heritage?

We look forward to letting you know more about Cummins House over the next few months. In the meantime, if you would like further information, contact Heritage South Australia on (08) 8124 4960 or email DEWHeritage@sa.gov.au

Map

Video gallery

Lyrebyrd Consort performing in the Drawing Room

Recitals Australia introduce Raindance Trio

Roses, Mermaids and Music garden event

In November 2020, we helped stage an activating heritage event in the garden and drawing room of Cummins House, and here are the video documentaries.

Made possible through a collaboration with the Cummins Society, Recitals Australia, the Victoriana Society and SA’s leading rose societies, the event was also a family reunion of sorts for the house.

Descendants of the Morphett family attended to share their memories of living there and to help recreate a special piece of family history: ‘Bessey’ at the piano.

Marianne Legoe, the family’s senior representative, wrote and recorded the script, with her nephew Andrew Morphett filming and kindly sharing the results.