Vaucluse House. Photograph (c) Brett Broadman

Vaucluse House

Houses and their owners have a tendency to be reflections of one another. Vaucluse House presents venerable Gothic Revival façades to Sydney Harbour but the mansion, built in fits and starts between 1805 and the early 1860s, is in a mixture of styles, is unresolved in terms of its layout and lacks the social grace of a formal entrance.

Its builder, William Charles Wentworth (1790-1872) is known today as one of our early colonial statesmen. His sense of his place in societywas undermined by illegitimacy and convict associations. With the rising tide of Victorian morality his wife Sarah was shunned as lacking respectability and the family had to socialise outside of colonial society. Vaucluse House’s lack of cohesion is perhaps a result of Wentworth’s brooding anger at this slight and the house’s slow growth over decades. In contrast with the house, the grounds preserve a remarkably complete 19th century estate plan with stables, rural outbuildings, carriage drives, paddocks, lawns, a serene pleasure garden and recreated Victorian kitchen garden. Read the guidebook | Read the newsletter

VINTAGE SUNDAYS: VICTORIAN

Wentworth Mausoleum. Photo © James Horan
From preparing hot punch in the kitchen to playing parlour games, there will be plenty of indulgences to transport you back to the Victorian era at Vaucluse House.
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EAT YOUR HISTORY

Pineapple and melon jam in the kitchen at Vaucluse House (detail). Photo © James Horan

The Cook and the Curator blog invites you to explore our food heritage. Each month we will bring you stories, recipes and more from our unique properties and collections.
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TEAROOMS

TEAROOMS

Catch up with friends and family at the Vaucluse House Tearooms.


T 02 9388 8188

Find out more

Address: Wentworth Road, Vaucluse, NSW 2030

Contact: House: 02 9388 7922 | Tearooms: 02 9388 8188

Admission:

  •  Adult $8 I
  •  Child/Concession $4 |
  •  Family $17 |
  •  Members free |
  • Wheelchair access

Hours: Open Friday - Sunday 11am – 4pm | Tours every hour, last tour 3pm | Open daily during NSW school holidays | Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day

Transport:

Language guide:

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