Gough Whitlam's childhood home to be saved from demolition

Former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam’s childhood home is set to be saved from demolition after a request from Victoria’s Planning Minister to the Heritage Council of Victoria.

The house was set to be demolished this week after it was sold to investors for $3.3 million last year.

Mr Whitlam was born at 46 Rowland Street in Kew in 1916, supposedly on the kitchen table of the home known as Ngara.

Planning Minister Matthew Guy tweeted that he had applied for an interim protection order which was granted by the Heritage Council today.

“As PM Whitlam’s birthplace, it is likely that the cultural significance of this house will become recognised more strongly as time passes,” he tweeted.

“To preserve the house through an Interim Protection Order, will allow for a fresh consideration of its heritage given PM Whitlam’s passing.”

Mr Whitlam, Australia’s 21st prime minister, died on Tuesday aged 98.

The family lived in the home for less than a year and moved to Sydney in 1918.