Rouse Hill House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rouse Hill Estate |
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The Rouse family in front of Rouse Hill Estate, in 1859.
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| General information | |
| Status | House museum, public park |
| Type | Homestead complex |
| Architectural style | Australian Georgian |
| Location | off Windsor Road (356 Annangrove Road), Rouse Hill, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°40′33″S 150°54′27″E / 33.6758158602°S 150.9076283130°E |
| Construction started | 1813 |
| Completed | 1819 |
| Client | Richard Rouse, Superintendent of Public Works and Convicts at Parramatta |
| Owner | Sydney Living Museums |
| Landlord | Office of Environment and Heritage, Government of New South Wales |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect |
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| Official name: Rouse Hill House and Farm | |
| Type: | Landscape |
| Criteria: | a., c., d., e., f., g. |
| Designated: | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference #: | 00002 |
The Rouse Hill Estate is a very old and important homestead and farm located in Rouse Hill, Sydney, Australia. It was once the family home of Richard Rouse, who was in charge of building projects and convicts in Parramatta a long time ago.
This historic house, built in the Australian Georgian style, was started in 1813 and finished around 1819. Over the years, more buildings were added. Today, the estate is managed by Museums of History New South Wales and is open to the public as a museum. Many parts of the original land are now a public park or have new buildings. The estate was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, because of its special history.
Contents
Discover Rouse Hill Estate
A Glimpse into History
Rouse Hill Estate has a fascinating past, showing how people lived in Australia many years ago. It tells the story of one family over several generations.
The Rouse Family's Story
Richard Rouse started building his house at Rouse Hill in 1813. He officially received the land, which was about 182 hectares (450 acres), in 1816. Richard, his wife Elizabeth, and their family moved into their new home sometime between 1818 and 1825.
Richard Rouse came to Australia in 1801. He quickly became successful and, by 1805, was in charge of public works and convicts in Parramatta. He helped build additions to Old Government House, Parramatta for Governor Lachlan Macquarie. These projects might have inspired him to build a larger house for his own family.
He chose a great spot for his house on a hilltop, right next to a toll house he also built on the main road between Parramatta and Windsor. This meant the house always overlooked a busy road, which was unusual for homesteads back then. From here, the Rouse family managed their other farms and properties.
Richard Rouse was smart and good with money, buying lots of land across the colony. By the time he passed away in 1852, the Rouse Hill estate had grown to about 485 hectares (1200 acres). He left the property to his son, Edwin Rouse, and later it went to Edwin's son, Edwin Stephen Rouse.
Over the years, the family added many buildings. A laundry, cottage, barn, and woolshed were built after the main house. In the 1860s, a summerhouse, another woolshed, and a two-story service wing were added. The impressive stables were built in 1876 and 1877. The house was also redecorated in 1885.
Protecting a Special Place
After Richard Rouse's granddaughter, Nina Terry, passed away in 1968, there was a family disagreement about the property. A group called the Rouse Hill Preservation Committee stepped in to help. This led to the NSW Government buying the property in 1978 to protect it.
The government then started working to restore and care for the buildings and grounds. In 1987, the property was given to the Historic Houses Trust (now Sydney Living Museums). The Rouse family's connection continued, and many family items, like furniture, tools, and even old cars, were returned to the estate. Today, the collection has over 20,000 objects!
In 2007, the Historic Houses Trust planned to make the estate even better for visitors. They added new facilities like a cafe, shops, an education centre, and an outdoor auditorium. The nearby Windsor Road was even moved to protect the estate from traffic. This helped more people, especially students, visit and learn about this amazing historical site.
Historians also discovered that the estate is likely near the site of the "Battle of Vinegar Hill" in 1804. This was a fight between convicts and soldiers. This discovery makes Rouse Hill Estate even more important for understanding Australia's early history.
Changes Over Time
The Rouse Hill Estate has seen many changes since it was first established. Here are some key moments:
- 1818: The main house was completed.
- Around 1820: A small cottage was built.
- 1825: The Rouse family moved into their new home.
- Around 1825: The first garden layout was created with an oval driveway.
- 1840s: The barn, woolshed, and laundry wing were constructed.
- 1855: Verandahs were added to the house, and a summerhouse was built.
- 1862: The house roof was covered with slate.
- 1876-1877: The stables were built.
- 1885: The house was redecorated and partly refurnished.
- 1888: Rouse Hill Public School opened nearby.
- 1932: A studio was changed into a breakfast room.
- 1951-1963: Parts of the land were sold, reducing the estate to about 43 hectares (106 acres).
- 1978: The NSW government bought the property to preserve it.
- 1984: The summerhouse was repaired.
- 2009-2010: New visitor facilities were built, and the old schoolhouse was restored.
- 2016: The farm's dairy area was conserved and repaired.
- 2017: The bathhouse was conserved and repaired.
What You Can See Today
Rouse Hill Estate is special because so much of its original history is still there. You can see how the family lived and how the property changed over many years.
The Historic House
The Rouse Hill house is a large, two-story Georgian-style building. It sits on top of a ridge, offering views in every direction. The house has 22 rooms, a beautiful stone staircase, and two cellar rooms. It's built from sandstone with a slate roof and timber floors.
The Oldest Garden
The garden at Rouse Hill is thought to be Australia's oldest surviving colonial garden that is still mostly in its original form. You can see old borders, fences, gates, and even traces of trellises and paths. Experts have identified four main stages of the garden's development, from around 1825 to 1968.
This garden shows how gardening changed in Australia over nearly two centuries. You can see how new ideas and materials, like wire fences replacing wooden ones, were used. Tall Bunya pines and hoop pines stand out in the garden, visible from far away.
Other Interesting Buildings
- Bath House (1858): This pretty building in the garden was likely built by James Houison. It used to have arched timber trellises covered in climbing plants for privacy. It was carefully restored in 2017.
- Dairy: The dairy building shows how farmers used to keep milk clean and fresh. It has concrete floors that were easy to wash, following the best hygiene practices of its time. There's also an even older timber structure for hand-milking cows.
- Outbuildings: Other buildings on the estate include a slab-built cow shed, brick stables, and a reconstructed timber summer house. There's also a caretaker's house.
Why Rouse Hill Estate is Important
Rouse Hill Estate is one of Australia's most important historical sites from the early 1800s. It's like a giant time capsule, showing us how a European-Australian family lived for seven generations, from the early 19th century to the late 20th century.
It's unique because it remained in the same family for so long, keeping its buildings, furniture, and gardens almost untouched. This means we can study how gardens and homes changed over time in Australia. The garden, in particular, is considered the oldest surviving colonial garden design in New South Wales.
The estate helps us understand:
- The history of the Rouse and Terry families over 180 years.
- Its connection to Richard Rouse, who was a builder and free settler.
- Its link to the convict period, as convicts helped build and work on the estate.
- How people's tastes and culture changed in New South Wales.
- The "Boom and Bust" times in Australian history, as the family's wealth changed over the years.
The estate also has a huge amount of information for researchers. It shows different building methods, tools, and household items from 1812 until today. This makes it a rare and special place for learning about Australia's past.
