Don Bank

Don Bank is a single-story timber slab cottage with a symmetrical facade and four main rooms arranged around a central hallway. The small house shows the typical building style of homes from the middle of the 1800s in this area.

The house was built between 1853 and 1858 on land that Edward Wollstonecraft received. It was originally called St Leonards Cottage before it took on the name Don Bank later.

Displays focus on how people lived in this area long ago, telling stories about former residents like Benjamin Jenkins who served as Mayor of St Leonards. These exhibits show what everyday life looked like for families in the region during the 1800s.

The museum opens every Wednesday from noon to 3 PM between February and mid-December with free entry. Since it is a small house, visiting outside peak tourist seasons allows more time to explore the rooms comfortably.

The building is North Sydney's oldest wooden house and was saved by community effort in the late 1970s while surrounded by modern office buildings. This rescue made it a rare example of the city's early residential architecture that might have been lost.

Location: North Sydney Council

GPS coordinates: -33.83769,151.20523

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:42