Government House, Port Frederick

Government House
Government House, c. 1930s
General information
Architectural style	Classical
Location	Port Frederick, ABNY
Construction started	22 November 1834
Completed	26 January 1836
Cost	£18,470
Owner	Crown Estates Trust

Government House is the official Port Frederick residence of the Governor-General of New Ingrea. It is located in the City Centre, on the south bank of Maria River. The mansion was constructed in the classical style, and occupies a position at the top of High Street, where it has commanding views across the river mouth and the northern Aorangean Sea.

History

Government House was constructed by convict labour between November 1834 and January 1836. It was formally occupied by George Wheeler when he arrived in Port Frederick on the 18 February of the same year. The new Resident Commissioner found the house to be: "small, but suitably modest for a settlement of such modest means". Extensions and renovations were first undertaken in 1842, the unfortunate result of which was the contamination of the drinking supply, and subsequent death of Wheeler of typhoid fever.

With the inauguration of Kingsbury in 1868, the government departed Port Frederick, and the Resident Commissioner occupied newly completed Government House there. Successive commissioners however continued to use Government House, and often spent the winter and summer months in Port Frederick in preference to remaining in the national capital.

After 1911, Government House largely ceased to be summer residence of the Governor-General, who instead opted to stay at Station Creek.

Use

Since the construction of Station Creek in 1911, the house has ceased to have a regular occupant, and instead used for state occasions and official entertaining. Nevertheless, various official engagements and ceremonies are still held at the house, such as investitures and official audiences. Garden parties are also conducted in the summer months.

When not being used for official functions, much of house, including the state rooms and the former vice-regal apartments, are open to the public.

The Prime Minister of New Ingrea maintains an apartment in the gatehouse of Government House, and will often stay if he has engagements that make travelling back to Kingsbury unnecessarily onerous.