Elizabeth Bay House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elizabeth Bay House |
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Façade of Elizabeth Bay House
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| Etymology | Elizabeth Bay |
| General information | |
| Status | Used as a museum |
| Type | Government home |
| Architectural style | Australian Colonial Regency |
| Address |
Elizabeth Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates |
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| Construction started |
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| Completed |
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| Renovated | 1977 (house) |
| Client | Alexander Macleay, NSW Colonial Secretary |
| Owner | Sydney Living Museums |
| Landlord | Office of Environment and Heritage, Government of New South Wales |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect |
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| Main contractor | James Hume |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Fisher Lucas |
| Other information | |
| Parking | No parking; public transport:
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| Reference #: | 6 |
| Official name: Elizabeth Bay House' | |
| Type: | State heritage (built) |
| Criteria: | a., c., d., e., f., g. |
| Designated: | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference #: | 6 |
| Type: | Other - Residential Buildings (private) |
| Category: | Residential buildings (private) |
| Builders: | James Hume |
| Official name: Elizabeth Bay House Grotto Site and works; Carriageworks' | |
| Type: | State heritage (built) |
| Designated: | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference #: | 116 |
| Type: | Garden Residential |
| Category: | Parks, Gardens and Trees |
| Builders: | Convict and free artisans under the direction of John Verge |
Elizabeth Bay House is a beautiful old house in Elizabeth Bay, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. It was built between 1835 and 1839. This house is a great example of the Colonial Regency style of architecture, which was popular in Australia a long time ago.
Today, Elizabeth Bay House is a museum where you can learn about life in early Sydney. It was once called "the finest house in the colony." The house was originally surrounded by a huge garden, about 54 acres (22 hectares) in size. Now, it's in a busy city area, but it still has some of its original charm. The house is famous for its amazing oval-shaped main room with a domed ceiling and a cool staircase. It's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register, which means it's a very important historical site.
Contents
History of Elizabeth Bay House
Early Days: Elizabeth Bay / Gurrajin
Before the house was built, Elizabeth Bay was home to the Cadigal people, who are the traditional owners of the land around Sydney Harbour. Around 1815, Governor Macquarie set up a fishing village here for them. The area was named Elizabeth Bay after Governor Macquarie's wife.
Alexander Macleay, the First Owner
Alexander Macleay (1767–1848) was an important government official in New South Wales. He was also a famous scientist who loved insects! He had one of the biggest insect collections in Britain. In 1826, he moved to Sydney with his family, his huge insect collection, and a library of 4,000 books.
Soon after arriving, Governor Darling gave Macleay a large piece of land at Elizabeth Bay. This land was about 54 acres (22 hectares) and had amazing views of Sydney Harbour.
Creating the Estate and Gardens
Macleay started working on his new estate in 1826. He used the help of convict workers to create a beautiful private botanic garden. He added stone walls, bridges, and winding paths among the native plants. People were amazed at how he transformed the rocky, sandy land into a lush garden.
Many people helped design the garden. Macleay himself was very involved, and his daughter Fanny thought he was the main planner. A gardener named Robert Henderson also helped. Even Edward Deas Thomson, a government official, helped design some of the paths. Macleay was different from many colonists because he didn't just clear all the native trees. Instead, he kept many of them and blended them with new plants from other countries.
His garden became famous for its wide variety of plants. He collected plants from all over the world, including South Africa, India, China, and New Zealand. He especially loved plants with bulbs. Visitors often wrote about how amazing his garden was.
Building the Grand Villa
Plans for the house started in 1832, but construction didn't begin until 1835. John Verge, a skilled architect, built Elizabeth Bay House between 1835 and 1839. The house's design was partly inspired by a grand house in London called Carlton House.
Macleay had big plans for the house, including a fancy colonnade (a row of columns) all around it. However, he faced financial problems, so the house was never fully finished as he intended. The colonnade was not built.
When the house was finished in 1839, Macleay lived there with his wife, some of their children, and other family members. Unfortunately, around this time, wool prices dropped, and the colony faced a tough economic period. Macleay was already in debt, and his financial troubles grew.
His eldest son, William Sharp Macleay, helped him out. In 1845, William insisted the family move out of the house and took over paying the debts. Some of Macleay's valuable furniture and his library were sold to help pay off what he owed. William Sharp Macleay, who was also a scientist, lived alone in the house until he passed away in 1865.
A Special Sunlight Feature
Interestingly, recent studies show that the house is perfectly lined up with the sunrise on the shortest day of the year (the winter solstice). For a brief moment, the rising sun shines directly through the front door, down the main hallway, and out the back door, lighting up the stone floor and door frames. This cool effect can be seen for about two weeks around the winter solstice.
The Macleay Family and Science
The Macleay family was very important in the world of science in Australia. Alexander Macleay and his sons, William Sharp and George, were all keen naturalists. They collected insects, plants, and other specimens. Their house became a meeting place for scientists and thinkers in Sydney.
- William Sharp Macleay inherited his father's insect collection. He continued to collect plants and exchange them with scientists around the world.
- George Macleay, another son, also loved zoology and donated specimens to museums.
- William John Macleay, Alexander's nephew, later leased the house. He was a pastoralist (someone who raises livestock) and a politician, but he also loved science. He expanded the family's collections even further, sponsoring expeditions to collect more specimens.
By 1875, the collections at Elizabeth Bay House were so huge that William John hired a special curator to look after them. In 1889, these amazing collections were given to the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney, where they are still kept today. The Macleay family lived in Elizabeth Bay House until 1903.
Twentieth Century Changes
Over the years, the large estate around Elizabeth Bay House was divided up and sold off. In 1927, the kitchen wing of the house was even knocked down to make way for a new road.
For a while, artists lived in the house. Then, in 1935, it was bought and turned into a place for events. Later, in 1941, it was changed again to create fifteen separate apartments.
In the 1940s, part of the famous lawn of Elizabeth Bay House was turned into a public park called Arthur MacElhone Reserve. This park still has some of the original garden features, like curving stone walls.
Saving and Restoring the House
In the 1960s, people started to realize how important Elizabeth Bay House was. The National Trust of Australia (NSW) listed it as a significant historic place. In 1963, the Cumberland County Council bought the house to protect it.
Later, in 1972, it was decided to restore the house to its former glory. The restoration work began in 1977, supervised by architects Fisher Lucas. In 1981, the house came under the care of Sydney Living Museums (formerly the Historic Houses Trust of NSW).
The house was refurnished to look like it did between 1839 and 1845, showing how the Macleay family lived. Experts used old records and remaining furniture to make the rooms look authentic. The large library even has some of Alexander Macleay's original insect cases and desk.
Today, Elizabeth Bay House is a popular place for events, including weddings. It has also been used as a filming location for music videos!
What Elizabeth Bay House Looks Like
Elizabeth Bay House is a grand villa built from soft Sydney sandstone. It has two main levels, plus cellar rooms and attic rooms.
The entrance leads into a stunning oval-shaped room with a domed ceiling. A beautiful staircase spirals up from this room. The wooden details inside the house are made from Australian Cedar and are very finely crafted. The floors are made of Australian Blackbutt timber.
The outside of the house looks a bit plain because it was never fully finished due to Macleay's financial problems. It was meant to have a grand colonnade, but only a small porch was added much later.
The house's design is very symmetrical, meaning it's balanced on both sides. You can even see "blind windows" on some walls, which look like windows from the outside but are just decorative.
Condition and Changes
Elizabeth Bay House is in good condition today. Many of its original plaster walls and wooden details are still there.
Over the years, the house and its land have changed:
- 1841, 1865, 1875, 1882: Parts of the land were sold off.
- 1892: A balcony was added to the house.
- 1927: The final subdivision of the land happened, and the kitchen wing was demolished.
- 1935: The house was renovated.
- 1941: It was changed to have fifteen flats.
- 1963: Important repairs were done.
- 1972–76: The house was restored to its original style.
Why Elizabeth Bay House is Important
A Special Place in History
Elizabeth Bay House is considered one of the most amazing buildings from the early 1800s in New South Wales. Its unfinished look actually tells a story about the economic struggles of that time.
The house is also important because of its connection to the Macleay family, who were leaders in science, especially in studying insects and plants. Scientists from all over the world visited the house, making it a hub for international scientific exchange in Australia. The Macleay family's collections eventually became key parts of the Australian Museum and the Macleay Museum at Sydney University.
The land where the house stands was once an Aboriginal settlement, making it a significant place where Aboriginal and European cultures met.
Amazing Design and Beauty
Elizabeth Bay House is one of the finest examples of early Australian architecture. The oval-shaped main room is thought to be one of the most beautiful interiors from the 1800s in Australia. The house's design shows the skill of architect John Verge.
The way the house and its gardens were planned was very clever, using the natural landscape of Sydney Harbour to create beautiful views. The original garden was famous for its unique plants and picturesque features.
Community Connection
Elizabeth Bay House is loved by the people who live in Elizabeth Bay and the wider Sydney area. Its history and beautiful design make it a landmark. The house is also important to the Jewish community and the arts community in NSW, as many prominent Jewish families lived nearby, and artists once lived in the house.
Learning from the Past
Even though the house's interior isn't exactly as it was originally, it still has many original features and clues that help us understand what life was like in early New South Wales. The furniture and collections at Government House and the Macleay Museum also help tell the story of the Macleay family at Elizabeth Bay House.
The house is a great example for studying how buildings were designed and used in early NSW. It also played a big role in the movement to preserve historic buildings in Australia.
A Rare Treasure
Elizabeth Bay House is rare because it's one of the most impressive examples of the Greek Revival style of architecture in New South Wales. It's a top example of the grand villas built by important people in the colony during that time.
The Grotto and Walls
The grotto (a small cave-like structure) and the stone walls and steps around Elizabeth Bay House were built between 1832 and 1835. They were part of the elaborate garden design. These are some of the few remaining parts of what was once a very sophisticated garden, designed to make the most of the Sydney Harbour views. The grotto and walls are also listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register because of their historical importance.
Gallery
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Elizabeth Bay House, interior
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Elizabeth Bay House staircase, designed by John Verge
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Photograph from around 1927 of the staircase
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Alex Rigby's 21st Birthday Party in 1937
See also
- Australian National Heritage List
- Australian residential architectural styles
- List of museums in Sydney
