The childhood home of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke has been opened up to tourists to stay in.
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TVTranscript
00:00 This is the humble regional South Australian home where Bob Hawke's journey began.
00:05 I think that people are really quite impressed that we've got him as one of ours.
00:11 Hawke was born in this border townhouse in 1929.
00:14 His family moved away six years later, but now his connection to the South East community
00:18 has been revitalised.
00:20 The Taddiara District Council bought the property three years ago after a $750,000 federal government
00:26 grant which locals are hoping will draw tourists to the town.
00:30 And I think it will be the best way to promote the town.
00:34 And because we have such a housing and accommodation problem, a shortage in the district, this
00:40 might help to cater for that too.
00:43 Each room of the house is decorated with a theme based on a different Hawke family member.
00:47 People can stay at the house or use it for functions.
00:50 Students at the local primary school say he's still an inspiration to them five years after
00:54 his death.
00:55 He said he's got a pride that he achieved from becoming Prime Minister.
00:56 It's like you can still do stuff even though you've come from a small place.
01:03 Despite Mr Hawke being Border Town's most famous former resident, he wasn't universally
01:07 popular in the town, and some aren't sure about promoting the Labour luminary.
01:11 Quite respect the fact that he's the Prime Minister, but we're not always perhaps in
01:16 favour of his policies or politics, but very much in favour of his family and his father
01:23 especially.
01:24 A legacy now firmly in place at Hawke House.
01:26 [BLANK_AUDIO]