Leura, Bellevue Hill facts for kids

Leura is a beautiful old house in Bellevue Hill, New South Wales, Australia. It's a special building because it's listed on the heritage register, meaning it's important to history. It was built in 1891 and designed by famous architects Walter Liberty Vernon and Howard Joseland. For a while, it was even a boarding house for Cranbrook School, known as Street House. Today, it's a private home again.

History of Leura House

The land where Leura stands has a long history. The original owners were the Cadigal people, an Aboriginal group. They lived in the area from South Head to Petersham for thousands of years. By the mid-1800s, after Europeans settled in Woollahra, the Cadigal people were no longer seen in the area.

Bellevue Hill's Beginnings

The suburb of Bellevue Hill got its name from a lookout point. Governor Macquarie called it "Belle Vue," which means "beautiful view" in French. This was much nicer than the old name, "Vinegar Hill"! Important roads like Old South Head Road (from 1811) and New South Head Road (from the 1830s) helped people get to the area. Victoria Road, where Leura is located, was planned in 1844.

The Point Piper Estate

Leura was once part of a huge piece of land called the Point Piper Estate. This land was first owned by Captain John Piper in 1816. Later, it was sold to traders Cooper and Levey. By 1847, Daniel Cooper owned the entire estate, which was about 460 hectares (1,130 acres) (a huge area!). After 1850, Cooper started selling or leasing parts of his land.

In 1854, Edwin Tooth leased over 16 hectares (40 acres) in Bellevue Hill. His brother, Robert Tooth, built the grand house called Cranbrook there in 1859-60. Cranbrook later became the famous Cranbrook School in 1917.

Around 1880, Edward Knox and his brother-in-law leased some of Edwin Tooth's land. They eventually bought it. Edward built his own house, "Rona," in 1883. Edward and his brother-in-law then made some land available next to Rona for Edward's brother, Thomas Forster Knox.

Building Leura House

The land where Leura was built was known as Lot 5 in an 1883 land division. It was also an old Aboriginal camp and had a natural spring. The house, Leura, was finished in 1891 for Thomas Forster (Tom) Knox, right next to his brother's house, Rona.

There was some debate about who designed Leura. Some thought it was G. A. Morell, who designed Rona. However, a note on the building plans mentioned "Mr. Vernon," suggesting that Walter Liberty Vernon was the architect. The house was completed in 1891. Back then, there weren't rules about submitting building plans to the local council, so no original plans exist today.

Thomas Knox and his family lived in Leura from 1891 until 1956. After Miss Helen Knox passed away, the house was sold.

The Knox Family

Thomas Forster Knox (1849-1919) was a very important businessman in Sydney. He was the managing director of Dalgety & Co. Ltd. for many years. His father, Sir Edward Knox, founded the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. (CSR) in 1855.

Thomas Knox was involved in many big businesses, including the Permanent Trustee Company and the Australian Gaslight Co. He also owned large farms and cattle stations. He was very interested in exploration and even helped fund an expedition to the South Pole!

His brother, Edward Knox (1847-1933), was also a powerful industrialist. He expanded CSR into Queensland and Fiji. Edward was also involved in local government, the University of Sydney, and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. He loved sailing and won many races with his boats.

Leura's Gardens and Changes

Leura was famous for its beautiful gardens. An old photo showed many trees, shrubs, and flowers, including rock lilies (a type of orchid) and azaleas. The house was built on a rocky outcrop, giving it amazing views of Sydney Harbour.

Mrs. Knox, Thomas's wife, created a stunning rock garden with winding paths and exotic plants. It was even more famous than Rona's garden! The garden had massed rock lilies, which are actually orchids. Unlike Rona, Leura didn't have many lawns, except for a tennis court. The long, curved driveway was planted with tropical plants like palms and bananas. A natural spring watered these plants. Giant bamboos grew between Leura and Rona, and there were gates connecting the two family homes.

In January 1909, a fire badly damaged Leura. The original wooden shingle roof was completely destroyed. After the fire, the house was rebuilt, and the roof was replaced with brown terracotta tiles.

Over the years, parts of the Leura estate were sold off. In 1926, a new house called Coonambula was built on part of the land. In 1949, the Leura estate was divided into six smaller lots.

In 1956, after Helen Knox died, Cranbrook School bought Leura. It became "Street House," a home for sixty boarding boys, named after Sir Kenneth Street, who was the head of the school council.

Around 1979, the school sold Leura, and it became a private home again, returning to its original name. It has been sold a few times since then. In 2015, it was sold for over $30 million, setting a new record for Bellevue Hill. The new owners are Chinese businessman Wilson Lee and his wife Baoyu Wu.

Leura's Design and Features

The Grand Garden

Leura's garden is huge, covering over 4,260 square metres (45,900 sq ft) (more than an acre!). It's like a resort with beautiful plants and amazing views of Sydney Harbour. The curved driveway leads up to the house. The land still has the natural spring and is known to have been an old Aboriginal camp. A large Hill's fig tree grows on the western side of the house. The house's high position gives it a commanding view of the harbour.

The Mansion's Style

Leura is a grand house built in the Federation Queen Anne style. This style was popular in Australia around the turn of the 20th century. It has beautiful details like leadlight doors and windows, timber panelling, and a grand staircase.

The house was likely one of the last projects where architects Walter Liberty Vernon and Howard Joseland worked together. It's a two-storey brick house with stunning views of Sydney Harbour. The main rooms, which look out over the harbour, are arranged around a large stair hall. The entrance and stair hall have a Gothic Revival style, with delicate Gothic-style patterns on the large window and front door.

Sadly, the ceiling and upper rooms were destroyed in the 1909 fire. A new roofline was built, adding another gable. The house has a large two-storey verandah with strong cast iron columns.

Many of the original decorative details are still there, like the wave pattern on the dado rail (a decorative trim on the wall), blue and white tiles, and a sunburst design on the dining room fireplace grate. These designs are similar to those by the French-Australian artist Lucien Henry. Other details, like timber ceilings and carved Japanese-style curves on the brackets, show Vernon's unique style.

The billiard room on the south-west side of the house was added later.

House Condition and Changes

As of 2015, Leura was in very good condition.

Here are some of the changes made to the house over time:

• 1909: After the fire, the wooden shingle roof was replaced with terracotta tiles. The roofline was changed, and new windows were added to create five attic rooms. The timber verandah railings were replaced with wrought iron railings.
• 1956: Cranbrook School bought the house and made changes to turn it into "Street House" for boarders.
• 1959: Toilets were added.
• 1965: A fire escape staircase was added.
• Around 1985: The house underwent major alterations and additions, and a pool and tennis court were added.
• Around 1987-1990: More alterations and additions were made, including new fencing.

Since then, Leura has returned to being a private home.

Heritage Importance

Leura is a very important historical building. It was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. This means it is protected and recognized for its historical and architectural value.