Nutcote, the home of May Gibbs for over forty years, was left to the United Nations organisation UNICEF when the author died. UNICEF, however, was unable to hold property so the house and contents were auctioned in 1970.
Building on efforts to prevent demolition, the May Gibbs Foundation was formed by a group of concerned relatives and friends in 1987. The Foundation was successful in obtaining a permanent conservation order to protect part of Nutcote and in having it placed on the Register of National Estate. In 1990 the North Sydney Council purchased the property and leased it to the Nutcote Trust. Nutcote has since been faithfully restored and refurbished and, in 1994, it was opened as a historic house museum.
(Source: 'Nutcote: Home of May Gibbs' website, http://www.maygibbs.com.au/.)
