Historic Cummins House

09/10/2026

When Cummins was built in 1842, life looked very different from today.

⚕️ Major surgery was a very different experience from what we know today. Ether was used for the first time as an anaesthetic by American physician Crawford Long.
📸 Say cheese! Photography was still a developing technology. No smartphones, no selfies and certainly no quick family snap in the garden!
⛵ Waiting for news: With sailing ships connecting South Australia to Britain and Europe, news from home could take months to arrive.

Next time you visit Historic Cummins House, take a moment to picture life here nearly 185 years ago.

📷 Drawing room c1900 - SLSA B 17533/5

02/10/2026

🏡 How did Cummins House get its name?

Ever wondered where the name Cummins came from?
Sir John Morphett named his new home after his mother’s family farm in Devon, England.

As a young woman, John’s mother, Elizabeth Gliddon, left her father’s farm to live in London with her uncle, Arthur Gliddon, who was a Bow Street magistrate. It was through her uncle that Elizabeth met Nathaniel Morphett, a Chancery Lane solicitor.

We are open on Sunday afternoon and have some spots available - join us and hear more about Historic Cummins House and the family who lived here for 5 generations. Your ticket also includes a delicious Devonshire tea.
https://www.trybooking.com/CKTYP
📷 Bricks hand-made on the Cummins property.

30/09/2026

🌸 Spring has definitely sprung at Cummins House! 🌿
The garden is looking beautiful, and our nursery is bursting with plants ready to find a new home. 🌱
🌿 Come along on Friday mornings and have a browse. Our wonderful volunteers are in the nursery every Friday until 12 noon and would love to see you.
And if you’re looking for something to do this Sunday, there are still a few spots available for a tour of Historic Cummins House!
For just $15 per person, join one of our guides to discover the fascinating history of the Morphett family and enjoy a delicious Devonshire tea afterwards. ☕️🍓

Bookings are essential for Sunday’s tour, so don’t miss out!

17/09/2026

🏡 Fancy a Sunday afternoon time-travelling?
Step through the doors of Historic Cummins House and discover what life was like for the Morphett family, who called Cummins home for five generations.
On our guided tour, you’ll hear fascinating stories of the family and the house including where Sir John Morphett would hitch his horse after his morning ride to Glenelg Beach. 🐎🌊
You can also imagine sitting down to dinner by candlelight around the original 12-seat dining table. 🕯️🍽️
And then there’s the best part… Devonshire tea! ☕️🍓
Because what better way to finish a journey through history than with a warm scone and homemade jam?
🎟️ $15 per adult includes the guided tour and Devonshire tea.
👧 Children’s prices available.

Come for the history, stay for the scones! 😋

👉 Book your spot here:

Cummins House, located in Novar Gardens, was built for South Australian pioneer John Morphett and his family in 1842.

Join us for a guided tour...

15/09/2026

🏛️ 42nd Annual General Meeting at Cummins House

Today we held the 42nd Annual General Meeting of The Cummins Society Inc at historic Cummins House.

We were delighted to welcome City of West Torrens Councillor George Demetriou as our special guest.

At 92, George is officially South Australia’s oldest serving member of any government in Australia. He was first elected to local government in 1989 by the people of West Torrens to represent their personal and community interests. His long-standing commitment to the community is truly remarkable.

It was also a very special occasion as we remembered Marianne Legoe, great-granddaughter of Sir John and Lady Elizabeth Morphett, who sadly passed away last month at the age of 87.

It was wonderful to hear from Tess Newton, Marianne’s daughter, who shared some of Marianne’s stories, as well as her own memories of visiting her grandparents when they lived at Cummins in the 1970s. These personal stories help bring the history of Cummins House to life and remind us that its story is about much more than bricks and mortar — it is about the generations of people who have called it home.

A big thank you to everyone who attended today and to all those who continue to support Cummins House.

Photographs: Cr George Demetriou and Tess Newton with Jan Ward, President of The Cummins Society Inc.

City of West Torrens

01/09/2026

🎉 WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT! 🎉

A huge congratulations to Kayla - you’re the lucky winner of a Family Pass to the Royal Adelaide Show! 🎡🎠🎟️

We hope you have an amazing time enjoying all the rides, showbags, food and fun! 🥳

👉 Cozzupoli, please DM us to claim your prize.

Thank you to everyone who entered.

31/08/2026

Get your entry in now - competition closes at midnight tonight!

🎡🎡WIN A FAMILY PASS TO THE ROYAL ADELAIDE SHOW! 🎡🎡

What is your favourite part of the Royal Adelaide Show?
Do you enter the baking competition? 🍰 Make a beeline for the hot donuts? 🍩 Perhaps you have a favourite ride or showbag? 🎢

How to enter:
👍 Like this post
😄 Tell us in the comments: What is your favourite part of the Show?
❤️ Follow our page — we’d love to have you along!

⏰ Competition closes at midnight on 31 August.
🏆 The winner will be chosen by random selection and contacted via DM from this page.

Good luck, everyone! 🎉

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Meta or Facebook. Prize value $82. Cannot be exchanged for cash.

30/08/2026

💙 Father’s Day at Cummins House 💙
This Father’s Day, treat Dad to an afternoon of history, heritage and, most importantly, scones! 😋
Join us at Historic Cummins House on Sunday 6 September for a guided tour of this beautiful historic home, followed by a delicious Devonshire tea with warm scones, homemade jam and fresh cream.
🏡 Discover the stories of Cummins House
☕ Enjoy a proper Devonshire tea
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Spend some quality time together
🎁 And give Dad a Father’s Day experience he might actually remember! 🤣
$15 per person includes the guided tour and Devonshire tea.
📅 Sunday 6 September
📍 Historic Cummins House
So skip the novelty mug, forget the socks and bring Dad to Cummins House instead!
🎟️ Book your tickets here: https://www.trybooking.com/CKTYP

Pssst - don't forget to enter our competition to win a family pass to the Royal Adelaide Show. Closes midnight on Monday. See our pinned post! 🎡

28/08/2026

As excitement builds for this year’s Royal Adelaide Show, it’s a great time to look back at the Show’s history and connections to the early pioneers of South Australia, including Sir John Morphett.

The first agricultural show in Adelaide was held in 1840. What began as a gathering to showcase livestock, produce and farming skills has grown into one of our state’s much-loved annual traditions.

Sir John Morphett, who built Cummins House in 1842, was one of the prominent figures involved in the development of South Australia’s early agricultural and pastoral industries. Agricultural shows provided an opportunity for farmers and producers to showcase their achievements, share knowledge and encourage the growth of agriculture in the young colony.
Today, the Royal Adelaide Show continues many of those traditions along with rides, showbags, hot donuts and plenty of family fun! 🎠🍩🎪

DON’T FORGET OUR COMPETITION!
You could win a family pass to the Royal Adelaide Show!
👉 Simply head to our pinned competition post and tell us: What is your favourite part of the Show?

Good luck — and enjoy the Show! 🌾🐄🎡

📷 History Trust of South Australia collection (GN14987). 1948.

22/08/2026

✨ A little transformation in the Tea Room✨

We’ve recently had some beautiful new carpet laid in the Tea Room, giving this charming space a fresh new feel while still preserving its wonderful history.

Originally, this courtyard was uncovered, and it would have been the arrival point for deliveries to the home, brought in by horse and cart. The maids’ room ran along one side, with the kitchen and servants’ hall on the other.

It’s fascinating to imagine the hustle and bustle of daily life here all those years ago — and to see this historic space continuing to evolve today.