Cards Cottage has high local significance as the home from the First

World War years of Alice Card, one of the five Card sisters who settled

in Olinda after giving up the well-known private school Astolat, which

they had established in Hawthorn. All the Card sisters were prominent

Olinda residents.

Card's Cottage is a modest, single storey timber cottage, dating from the late nineteenth century. It is set back from Monash Avenue within a densely planted garden, which includes a variety of ferns and mature, native trees. The cottage has been remodelled and restored and is currently used as bed and breakfast accommodation.

The square plan cottage has a symmetrical facade and two transverse gable roofs, running parallel to one another across the width of the house. The front facade has a verandah extending the width of the house, which has a timber lined floor and recent turned timber verandah posts. The centrally located front door has a regularly spaced double hung window to either side. All openings have moulded timber architraves on the outside face of the timber lined walls.

The interior of the house has been entirely rebuilt with much of the original fabric replaced. Portions of the original timber ceiling panels and beams from local timber have been re-used and revealed internally.

An early, undated photograph held within the building shows that the cottage did not always have a verandah to the front facade.

Physical Conditions: Excellent