What made the rose arbour sturdy in the 1920s? How do you design a strong cubby so that it gives you shelter? Join in and construct a cubby in the garden, then get cosy inside and eat a warm, buttery potato. Then venture onto Red Hill to spend time in the bush, hunt for signs of creatures, and sight features in the landscape.

In association with the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival.

The images in our slideshow capture how kids started their program by taking a tour of the house museum, and having a peek inside Dawn’s cubby to see the tiny stove she and her friends once used to bake potatoes.

Then everyone got busy in the garden with designing a cubby with their favourite features. Kids and carers then worked together to build shelters using our frame sections and various joiners. There was a terrific moment when family groups joined everything together to make a many-roomed and cosy cubby, just like Dawn's 'dear cubby'. And of course – every cubby needs a few bedsheets to cover it and make it snug for eating warm, buttery potatoes!

 But that wasn’t all – we then went on our bushwalk onto Red Hill, guided by a trail map, to discover a red-breasted robin, a mob of kangaroos, a stick cubby made by the locals and so much more.   

Congratulations to all who came along to build cubbies in the garden!