Mulwala House: Our house in the middle of the street

The newly vacated war workers' hostel at Mulwala (NSW) was recommended as a good solution, easily transportable and quick to re-erect, and with some minor adjustments able to offer accommodation for up to 144 people. In 1946 the accommodation was declared available for disposal, and the Department of Works was quick to see a potential solution for temporary accommodation in Canberra.

After a successful tender process, Mulwala House was approved for transfer by the treasurer and soon-to-be prime minister J.B. 'Ben' Chifley. Mulwala House was relocated to the city on the edge of the Commonwealth Gardens, between the Roman Catholic Presbytery and the Olympic Pool. Its old site is quite literally "in the middle of the street".

Public servants were hired to staff the house, including managers, cooks and cleaners. The department decided to hire a male manager, a decision that would cause some headaches down the track with some female residents complaining of inappropriate behaviour.

Guests of Mulwala House would be charged up to 3 pounds and 5 shillings a week for room and board. The first record regarding potential guests speaks of the immigration of 40 female typists from England. Placing these young women was a priority, and arrangements were hastily made to welcome them to Canberra with accommodation at Mulwala House. Commonwealth Departments were all equally keen to find room for their new staff, and the initial allotment of guests by the ACT Advisory Council came under fire, with questions regarding the order of registration and preference.

In the 1940s, the civic centre of Canberra clustered around the Melbourne and Sydney buildings, and although Mulwala House was placed on the city side of Commonwealth Park, the residents felt isolated from the city. Transport after dark was almost non-existent and residents had to find their own amusement. Recreational facilities were limited, and residents went to the length of signing a petition in 1948 requesting a piano for social evenings. Larger petitions were presented regarding sporting grounds and a lawn. These requests were all granted. In 1948 local MP Allan Fraser said that the "... lack of normal social and community life in Canberra was affecting administrative efficiency in Government offices".

Residents formed social sporting teams and youth groups and enjoyed concerts arranged by the Canberra Arts Council, which included ballroom dancing, concert performers and choral singers.

Not everything was perfect, however. Romantic liaisons after visitor hours resulted in threats of trespass. More seriously, there were also reports of attempted molestation, peeping toms, drunk and disorderly behaviour, punch-ups and suspected overdoses. By the mid-50s, there seemed to have been a shift from external disturbances to inappropriate behaviour by guests and staff.

Sanitation and food quality were also hot topics. An outbreak of scabies in 1948 saw an inspection of the site, with changes recommended to the sewerage traps, staff dining room and quarters. A look through the records shows that the food quality varied year to year, with complaints about bugs, serving times and poor quality meat. When one resident complained to the manager about flies in her food in 1950 she was told they ''tasted better with salt on them''.

The manager of the house towards the end of the 1950s seemed to draw the ire of many residents. There are many complaints on record regarding his manner and tone in responding to residents on accommodation matters, for cultivating favourites, and for entering female guests' rooms without knocking. There were also some evictions, mostly for breaking noise restrictions. In 1957 one young lady was evicted for playing "rock and roll gramophone records".

Mulwala House was taken over by the Commonwealth Hostels Ltd. By then, it was in the direct path of the Parkes Way extension and the City Ring Road. The house was closed and the last residents relocated to the newly completed Macquarie Hostel at Barton in April 1969. Before they left, they held a dance in their main hall. One of these final residents, Denise Davis, was interviewed by The Canberra Times about her experience: ''I found the life at Mulwala was good ... there was a tremendous atmosphere. It was small and you knew everyone, not like here (Macquarie Hostel) where you can't get to know very many people.''

The buildings themselves would be demolished on April 21, 1969, heralding the end of Mulwala House.