Tasmania has many grand historical homes - most of which are still in private hands and are not open to the general public.
One such place is Mona Vale - known to older Tasmanians as "The Calendar House" as it is said to have three hundred and sixty-five windows, (365 days per year), fifty-two rooms, (52 weeks per year), twelve chimneys, (12 months per year), four staircases, (4 seasons per year) and seven entrances, (7 days per week).
It has hosted many famous people such as Noel Coward and Lord Kitchener over the years, and not only a son of Queen Victoria, (who was the Duke of Edinburgh at the time), but also the future King George VI and future Queen Mother, when they were the Duke and Duchess of York.
The Duke and Duchess spent a couple of private nights at Mona Vale/The Calendar House in 1927 and planted two oak trees in the grounds of the estate.
These oaks were grown from acorns taken from the oak tree that had been planted by the Duke of Edinburgh during his visit to the property back in the 1880s.
(The bed he slept in was also used by Albert and Elizabeth.)
The Duke went on a kangaroo hunt while staying there and repeated the experience the next day as it had been so enjoyable.
To thank the staff of the house for their service during the visit, the Duke and Duchess presented the butler with a gold tie-pin and the cook with a brooch, with the royals initials in diamonds, and a signed menu card.
(In diamonds!!! Wonder if that still happens.)
There were passenger trains running in Tassie in those days, so the Royals departed for Hobart by rail as their hosts and others sang "For They Are Jolly Good Fellows" to them.
In fact, the train was greeted along it's way south - the house is in what is called the Midlands of Tasmania, just south of Ross - and the Duke and Duchess appeared, to acknowledge the locals as they travelled through various towns.
As it is a private residence, the only photos on the internet are old black and white ones from the National Trust - but still worth a look if you find architecture, and the history of fine buildings, interesting.