CHANCERIESTHE DIPLOMATIC ATLAS

Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia

Diplomatic history and full roster

Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia

1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Folded copper panels wrap Bates Smart’s 2023 chancery at Scott Circle. A tall central atrium brings daylight deep into the building, while the glazed ground floor opens its public face to Massachusetts Avenue.

FactValueBasis and sources
Constructed2023verified
  1. www.batessmart.com
Acquired by AustraliaNot verifiedunverified; Current building commissioned by Australia; the original land-acquisition year has not been established.
  1. www.batessmart.com
NeighborhoodScott Circleverified
  1. www.batessmart.com
ArchitectBates Smart; KCCTverified; Bates Smart design architect; KCCT architect of record.
  1. www.batessmart.com
Rooms140–385 est.estimated; Planning estimate: rooms = building area × room-area fraction ÷ average room size. For this office, ceremonial and parking property, assume 30%–50% of the recorded 214,094 sq ft is enclosed usable room area, with an average 280–450 sq ft per room. The range combines the low fraction with the larger room size and the high fraction with the smaller size, rounded outward to five rooms. Room allocation and average size are assumptions. Covers the recorded building area; the interior has not been independently measured. Estimated room range.
  1. www.batessmart.com
Floor area214,094 sq ftverified; Architect reports 19,890 m² project area, converted to square feet; other project participants report different scopes.
  1. www.batessmart.com
Site area30,300 sq ftverified; Active DC ITSPE record, SSL 0181 0162: LANDAREA 30,300 sq ft. The two CAMA building entries were not added together because one concerns the predecessor building.
  1. services.arcgis.com
2026 Value$150,612,710verified; DC Office of Tax and Revenue, tax year 2026: land $22,437,760 plus improvements $128,174,950; square/lot 0181 0162, PDF page 271. Tax assessment. Adjacent separately assessed parcels are not added.
  1. otr.cfo.dc.gov
First diplomatic use2023verified; Current building opened 24 October 2023.
  1. www.pm.gov.au

Complete property record

Australian Ambassador’s Residence

3120 Cleveland Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

White Oaks became Australia’s wartime legation and minister’s home in 1940. The red-brick Colonial house remains the ambassador’s residence, with a garden, swimming pool and grass tennis court used for diplomatic hospitality.

FactValueBasis and sources
Constructed1923verified; Construction began in 1923; extended in 1926.
  1. www.environment.gov.au
Acquired by Australia1941verified; Leased from 1940, purchased in 1941 with five adjacent separately titled lots.
  1. www.environment.gov.au
NeighborhoodWoodland Normanstoneverified
  1. www.homes.com
ArchitectDavid J. Duniganverified; Heritage record names the original owner as builder and architect.
  1. www.environment.gov.au
Rooms20–40 est.estimated; Planning estimate: rooms = building area × room-area fraction ÷ average room size. For this residential reception property, assume 55%–70% of the recorded 16,729 sq ft is enclosed usable room area, with an average 300–450 sq ft per room. The range combines the low fraction with the larger room size and the high fraction with the smaller size, rounded outward to five rooms. Room allocation and average size are assumptions. Covers the recorded building area; the interior has not been independently measured. Estimated room range. The heritage account records 25 rooms in 1940; it does not establish a current inventory.
  1. www.homes.com
Floor area16,729 sq ftverified; Secondary exact-address building record; excludes an assumed sum of staff houses.
  1. www.homes.com
Site area65,340 sq ftverified; The 1.5 acre main lot converts to square feet at 43,560 sq ft per acre. Additional historical estate land is excluded.
  1. www.homes.com
2026 Value$41,518,580verified; DC Office of Tax and Revenue, tax year 2026: land $32,193,370 plus improvements $9,325,210; square/lot 2127 0009, PDF page 279. Tax assessment. Adjacent separately assessed parcels are not added.
  1. otr.cfo.dc.gov
First diplomatic use1940verified; Rented as legation offices and residence in 1940.
  1. www.environment.gov.au

Complete property record

Historic Moments

A fleet crosses the Pacific

1908

The Great White Fleet visits Sydney, Melbourne, and Albany, bringing American sailors and Australian crowds together during its round the world voyage.

An independent voice in Washington

1940-03-01

Richard Casey presents his credentials as Australia’s first minister to the United States. White Oaks soon becomes both the legation’s workplace and its home.

Partners in the Coral Sea

1942-05

Australian cruisers join the Allied force at the Battle of the Coral Sea. U.S. carrier air attacks help turn back the invasion force bound for Port Moresby.

ANZUS is signed

1951-09-01

Australia, New Zealand, and the United States sign a Pacific security treaty in San Francisco, giving their wartime partnership a lasting diplomatic framework.

Australia carries the Moonwalk home

1969-07-21

Honeysuckle Creek receives the first steps on the Moon; Parkes then supplies most of the live broadcast. Australian tracking stations help connect Apollo 11 with its worldwide audience.

Solidarity from White Oaks

2001-09-12

In the residence garden, John Howard addresses the press after the September 11 attacks. Australia formally invokes the ANZUS treaty two days later.

Chiefs of Mission

DiplomatOfficeRecorded serviceStatus
Keith OfficerChargé d’affairesRecorded February 1940Former
Richard CaseyMinister1940–1942Former
Owen DixonMinister1942–1944Former
Frederic EgglestonMinister1944–1946Former
Norman MakinAmbassador1946–1951Former
Percy SpenderAmbassador1951–1958Former
Howard BealeAmbassador1958–1964Former
Keith WallerAmbassador1964–1970Former
James PlimsollAmbassador1970–1973Former
Patrick ShawAmbassador1974–1975Former
Gordon UptonChargé d’affaires1975–1976Former
Nick ParkinsonAmbassador1976–1977Former
Alan RenoufAmbassador1977–1979Former
Robert BirchChargé d’affairesRecorded 1979Former
Nick ParkinsonAmbassador1979–1982Former
Geoffrey PriceChargé d’affairesRecorded 1982Former
Robert CottonAmbassador1982–1985Former
Rawdon DalrympleAmbassador1985–1989Former
Michael CookAmbassador1989–1993Former
Don RussellAmbassador1993–1995Former
John McCarthyAmbassador1995–1997Former
Andrew PeacockAmbassador1997–1999Former
Michael ThawleyAmbassador2000–2005Former
Dennis RichardsonAmbassador2005–2010Former
Kim BeazleyAmbassador2010–2016Former
Joe HockeyAmbassador2016–2020Former
Arthur SinodinosAmbassador2020–2023Former
Kevin RuddAmbassador2023–2026Former
Greg MoriartyAmbassador2026–presentCurrent