Werribee Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Werribee Park |
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Werribee Park mansion
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| Type | Mansion, associated built facilities and grounds |
| Location | Werribee, Victoria, Australia |
| Built | 1874–1877 |
| Built for | Thomas Chirnside and family |
| Architectural style(s) | Italianate |
| Governing body | Parks Victoria |
| Owner | Victoria State Government |
| Official name: Werribee Park | |
| Type | State heritage (built and natural) |
| Designated | 1 April 1987 |
| Reference no. | 1207 |
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Werribee Park is a large, historic estate located in Werribee, Victoria, Australia. It is a popular tourist attraction famous for its grand mansion and beautiful gardens.
The park is home to many attractions. These include the Werribee Park Mansion, the Victoria State Rose Garden, the Werribee Open Range Zoo, and the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre. There is also a path with modern sculptures and a hotel.
The land was once home to the Kurung Jang Balluk clan, and today, native plants are being grown along the Werribee River to restore the natural environment. In 1973, the government of Victoria bought the park and opened it to the public in 1977. It is now managed by Parks Victoria.
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Werribee Park Mansion
The main feature of the park is the Werribee Park Mansion, a huge and beautiful house built in the Italianate style.
Who Built the Mansion?
The mansion was built between 1874 and 1877 for two brothers, Thomas Chirnside and Andrew Chirnside. They were successful farmers, known as pastoralists, who came to Australia from Scotland. They built a large farming business and became very wealthy.
The mansion was the center of their large property, which needed many workers to run. The Chirnside brothers, along with designers like James H. Fox, Parlane Colquhoun, and Robert Huckson, helped create the grand building. It was built using stone from the nearby Barrabool Hills.
A Family Home
After Thomas Chirnside died in 1887, his brother Andrew took over the property. When Andrew died in 1890, he left the estate to his two sons, George and John Percy.
George inherited the Werribee Park Mansion, while his younger brother John Percy received other land. This caused some disagreement between them. When John Percy built his own mansion nearby, he wanted to name it after Werribee, but George went to court to stop him.
A New Chapter: Corpus Christi College
From 1923 to 1973, the mansion had a very different purpose. It became a Catholic seminary called Corpus Christi College, where men trained to become priests. The buildings that are now the Mansion Hotel were added during this time.
Werribee Park on Screen and Stage
The mansion's beautiful rooms and grounds have made it a popular location for filming movies and TV shows. In 1996, it was used as a setting for the children's TV series The Genie From Down Under. It was also featured in the movie The Pirate Movie, starring Kristy McNichol and Christopher Atkins.
In 2007, the famous musician Elton John held two large concerts on the mansion's lawns. The grounds are also used for many annual events, including Christmas carols, polo championships, and music festivals.
Things to See and Do at Werribee Park
Besides the mansion, Werribee Park offers many other exciting attractions for visitors.
Heritage Orchard
The Werribee Park Heritage Orchard is a special garden of fruit trees that was first planted in the 1870s. It was famous for growing peaches, grapes, apples, pears, and plums. For many years, the orchard was neglected and forgotten.
In 2010, a community group, working with Parks Victoria, began to restore it. They are working to save the old and rare types of fruit trees that still survive. The group helps preserve the orchard and teaches the public about its history.
National Equestrian Centre
The Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre is a world-class facility for horse sports. It hosts major events like Equitana and the World Polo Championships. The centre opened in 1984 and is the main place for equestrian activities in Victoria. Even Prince Charles has played polo here.
Open Range Zoo
The Werribee Open Range Zoo is a special kind of zoo where animals live in large, open spaces that look like their natural habitats. It is one of four zoos run by Zoos Victoria.
Visitors can see animals from the grasslands of Africa, such as rhinos, giraffes, zebras, and lions. The zoo is also home to Australian animals like emus, koalas, and kangaroos. You can even see rare animals from other parts of the world, like the takhi, a wild horse from Mongolia.
Shadowfax Winery
Located on the grounds of Werribee Park, Shadowfax is a vineyard and winery. It is known for growing grapes in the cool climate of the nearby Macedon Ranges. In the past, it was famous for a wine made from some of the oldest Shiraz grapevines in the Heathcote region.
