Australia House in Ottawa

Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...

, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 is the official residence

Ambassadorial residence

An ambassadorial residence is where an ambassador lives, often an official residence. In many cases it is in the same building as the chancery, which houses the embassy . Like embassies, such residences are considered inviolable and, in most cases, extraterritorial.The residences of high...

 of the Australian High Commissioner

High Commissioner

High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...

 to Canada. The house is located on a corner lot at 407 Wilbrod Street in the Sandy Hill

Sandy Hill

Sandy Hill is a bilingual neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario located just east of downtown. The neighbourhood is bordered on the west by the Rideau Canal and on the east by the Rideau River. To the north it stretches to Rideau Street and the Byward Market area while to the south it is bordered by...

 neighbourhood of Ottawa, near to a number of other embassies and residences. The house was built in 1910 by William Davis, and is believed to have been designed by John W.H. Watts. Davis died under inauspicious circumstances in 1916 and it lay vacant for several years before being purchased by Colonel Cameron Macpherson Edwards, who had earlier lived at 24 Sussex Drive

24 Sussex Drive

24 Sussex Drive is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada, located in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario. Built between 1866 and 1868 by Joseph Merrill Currier, it has been the official home of the Canadian prime minister since 1951.-History:The house at 24 Sussex...

. The Edwards left in 1937 and rented the house to Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 to house the Consul General Dr. Erich Windels, who was friendly with Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King

William Lyon Mackenzie King

William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...

, who lived nearby. Windels was expelled from Canada upon the declaration of war in September 1939.

In part because of the war, the Australian delegation in Ottawa was looking for more spacious accommodations, and the newly vacant building met these needs. In 1940 it became the residence of the High Commissioner and they bought the building from the Edwards soon after. It has housed every High Commissioner since as well, as visiting Australian dignitaries, including any Australian Prime Ministers who visit Ottawa. From 1947 until 1953 the building was home to ex-Prime Minister Frank Forde

Frank Forde

Francis Michael Forde PC was an Australian politician and the 15th Prime Minister of Australia. He was the shortest serving Prime Minister in Australia's history, being in office for only eight days.-Early life:...

 during his term as Australian High Commissioner.

Since November 2008, HE Mr. Justin Brown is the latest High Commissioner to reside at Australia House.

The chancery

Chancery (diplomacy)

A 'Chancery' is the type of building that houses a diplomatic mission or embassy. The building can house one or several different nations' missions....

 of the High Commission has since moved to the 710-50 O'Connor Street in Downtown Ottawa

Downtown Ottawa

Downtown Ottawa is the central area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Like other downtowns it is the commercial and economic centre of the city. It is sometimes referred to as the Central Business District and contains Ottawa's financial district. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the...

.

See also

• High Commission of Australia in Ottawa
  High Commission of Australia in Ottawa
  This is a List of Australian High Commissioners to Canada. Official diplomatic relations between Australia and Canada were established in September 12, 1939 when high commissioners were first exchanged, although there were many prior contacts, particularly in trade...
  
  
• Australian diplomatic missions overseas
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)
  The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a department of the government of Australia charged with advancing the interests of Australia and its citizens internationally...