Celebration of 50 years since Schramm’s Cottage relocation 1976-2026

By Ian Schafter

February 2026 sees the 50th anniversary of the official opening of the relocated and rebuilt Schramm’s Cottage at a new site at Doncaster East.

The story of the cottage started around 150 years before. The cottage is named after Max von Schramm. He came to Doncaster in 1860 to start a school for the Lutheran children. He held his school in the primitive Lutheran church in Victoria Street, then known as Bismark Street. Four years later he built a new school in Doncaster Road. The Education Department bought out this building, so, in 1875, he constructed a sandstone building both as a home and a Lutheran School near his old building.

Schramm's Cottage | c.1967 | from the north-east, showing the gravel path leading to the front door. The original verandahs were removed by the council in the 1950s.

This house originally stood beside Doncaster Road where the Manningham MC Square Community Centre is now located, but in 1970 a road-widening project threatened its existence. Local residents formed the Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society, and found a new site for the house in the grounds of the old primitive Lutheran church and cemetery at Victoria Street, Doncaster East.

Then in 1971 they began the mammoth task of pulling the cottage apart stone by stone. It was dismantled under the careful supervision of the Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society and a local stonemason. Each stone was numbered and taken to the new site and laid out in order. Slowly the cottage was re-built. It gained a new iron roof and new timber ceilings — but, apart from these, it was erected exactly as it had been by Pastor Schramm in 1875.

Schramm's Cottage being dismantled | 1971 | Members of the Doncaster and Templestowe Historical Society and volunteers dismantling Schramm's Cottage on its original site in Doncaster Road. Each stone block was numbered using red paint and photographed so as to make the job of rebuilding easier and true to the original. Central Court shops in background.

Rebuilding of Schramms Cottage 23 September 1973. Partially completed stone work along north rear verandah side of cottage.

Opening of Schramm's Cottage | 1976 | Large group of people walking from main gate on the pathway to rear lawn area at the official opening of the cottage.

Opening of Schramm's Cottage | 1976 | Large groups of people on back lawn area of the cottage at the official opening. Marquee with refreshments at back for official guests only. Numerous pine trees in grounds. Garden area at east side of the cottage just being planted out.

The official opening of Schramm’s Cottage took place on Saturday 14th. February, 1976. A plaque to mark the occasion was unveiled by the Mayor Cr R. Poppins in the presence of over 200 people, and Sir Raymond Garrett MLC formally declared the cottage open and opened the front door with the original key. This day was the climax of five years combined efforts by many people, as there were over one hundred volunteers; mainly from the Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society, who all helped with the removal, rebuilding and setting up of the cottage.

Opening of Schramm's Cottage | 1976 | Doncaster & Templestowe Mayor Cr R. Poppins giving a speech on the back veranda to the large group of gathered attendees.

Over the years, many additional buildings and features of an historic nature have been added into the Schramm’s Cottage Museum complex including Fingers barn, the Adams family farm house, the Sloyd woodwork room, the machinery shed, the wheelwright shed, the replica tram as well as the cottage gardens and the restoration of the old Lutheran Waldau cemetery.

Editor's note: Our sincere thanks to the Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society for kindly allowing us to use these photographs and captions.