[1][2] Although Kirribilli was never intended to be the Prime Minister's official primary place of residence,[citation needed] John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison have used the house as such.

[3] In 1854, merchant Adolphus Frederic Feez purchased a 0.40-hectare (1-acre) parcel of land at the tip of Kirribilli Point for £200.

Feez built the picturesque Gothic-style structure now known as Kirribilli House – a twin-gabled dwelling or cottage ornée – on the land's highest spot.

Allen planned to subdivide the land but after much public agitation the then Prime Minister of Australia, Billy Hughes, resumed the property for Government purposes in 1920.

The property was used by the staff of the Governor-General of Australia (who occupied neighbouring Admiralty House) until 1930, when it was leased to tenants.

In 1956 Kirribilli House was set aside as a residence for the use of Australia's Prime Ministers, when they need to perform public duties and extend official hospitality on behalf of the government during stays in Sydney; the official Prime Ministerial residence is The Lodge in Canberra.

Kirribilli House is open to the public on one day a year, courtesy of The Australiana Fund.

In 1859, the birth of a daughter at Sophienberg was recorded in the newspaper[14] so it appears that the house continued to be called by this name after the Lawrys purchased it.

[18] By this time the house had been named "Kirribilli" and was located in Campbell Street as the map on the left shows.

There was public outcry about the sale of the house and the Government under the then Prime Minister Billy Hughes decided to resume it.