O’Keeffe Residence

The O’Keeffe Residence is a small residence built in 1943. Originally intended as a recreation hut for army officers stationed in Katherine, it soon became the officers’ mess. It’s one of the very few structures from the World War II era that have survived in the Katherine area.

The building is an example of bush innovation and local construction utilising locally available material such as Cypress pine, iron sheeting and flywire.

Wander through the building and learn about regional history in the small museum.

The house has been associated with a number of famous Territory locals, including Charlie Fuller who was a drover and later a senior farmhand with the CSIRO. He was also the first Municipal Officer for the Northern Territory administration in Katherine. The house gained its name from the last residents of the house – John and Olive O’Keeffe. Olive O’Keefe arrived in the Territory in 1936 as a nurse and became quite well known throughout the Territory.

Restored by the Trust in 1988, it’s open to the public from April to October, Saturday and Wednesday Mornings 10-1 pm, pending wet season and managed by the Katherine Branch volunteers. A new addition to the grounds is an original Sidney Williams Hut, and Plant sales.