Thomas chirnside left his hometown of berwickshire in scotland in 1838. Photo taken from wool past the winning post a history of the chirnside family by heather b. Located just 30 minutes from melbourne by car, werribee park is so. Lancemore mansion hotel werribee park is located next to the historic chirnside mansion. Combines comedy, history and scary elements to make this unique show unforgettable.
Thomas chirnside 18151887 was an australian pastoralist who settled on much of what would become western melbourne thomas chirnside was born in berwickshire, scotland, the elder son of robert chirnside and mary fairs. Together they began to purchase runs throughout port phillip. Chirnside mansion was built between 1874 and 1877 and boasts 60 rooms within two wings which adjoin to the rear of a central block and enclose a large courtyard. Lancemore mansion hotel werribee park in melbourne expedia. Later, thomas agreed to partner with andrew at werribee and build a mansion for andrew and his wife, mary, to raise their children in. The luxurious hotel offers five star accommodation with day spa and restaurant for a luxurious getaway. Uncover the secret lives of the chirnsides in a most theatrical experience. The original subdivision of chirnside park was, at that time, known as mooroolbark park. Once the working heart of the werribee park estate, the remaining bluestone outbuildings of the farmyard provide a stark contrast to the elaborate craftsmanship of the chirnside mansion. Popular attraction werribee open range zoo is located nearby. Book the lancemore mansion hotel werribee park stay at this 5star luxury hotel in werribee south.
The gardens feature a parterre, which is a geometric garden design best viewed from the mansion balcony, pond and original grotto. Thomas chirnside had no children as he was a bachelor and had no one to inherit his share in chirnside pastoral co. In 1890, andrew died of heart disease, and his son george chirnside inherited the mansion. Its residential and working buildings supported a large farm workforce. The mansion was bult in 1874 to 1877 by the ultrawealthy chirnside family, who raised sheep. Join the team at twisted history as we explore the original chirnside homestead hidden behind the grand mansion and nestled on the banks of the werribee river. Lancemore mansion hotel werribee park senior stays. The family sold werribee park, the headquarters of its empire, and transferred the stud herds and the werribee mansion contents to mooroolbark park.
In 1850 they bought property named werribee lower once owned by gellibrand they kept buying land. He carried with him a few hundred pounds and a bible. Completed in 1877, werribee park mansion supported an extensive farming workforce across ten acres, but after thomas committed suicide in 1887, the mansion was left to andrew and his sons to manage. A premier and highly sought after destination just 30 minutes from melbournes cbd. On june 25 th 1887 thomas sadly took his own life, leaving everything to his brother andrew and his nephews. In the 1840s thomas chirnside was a member of the geelong and portland bay immigration society committee.
In 1839 chirnside came from liverpool on the ship bardaster. Theatrical production performed at night in the werribee park mansion. Werribee park mansion is a magnificent 19th century building beautifully restored and filled with memories in a background of fascinating stories. Werribee park and mansion, attraction, melbourne, victoria. The centrepiece of this jewel in the west is a superbly restored 1870s italianate mansion, originally built by scottish squatters thomas and andrew chirnside. It was st josephs seminary from 1926 to the 1970s, and when the catholic church moved out, they sold it to the victorian government which transformed it into the. In 1921, george chirnside purchased the mooroolbark park homestead and grazing property near lilydale, east of melbourne. Werribee park mansion was built in 1877 for the chirnside family. On 5 february 1884 thomas laid the foundation stone of the second presbyterian church in werribee. Werribee park is a significant cultural and heritage attraction offering an authentic insight into australias richly diverse history. Quite literally one of the grandest hotels in australia, the lancemore mansion hotel werribee park is a cosmopolitan haven of tranquility and charm. Copies can also be purchased from the werribee and district historical society. In 1921 george chirnside sold werribee park, moving the familys stud herds and the contents of werribee mansion to mooroolbark park.
Click here to view this title on the wyndham library catalog ue. Two actors as maggie the head maid and mr duncan the head butler will guide you through the mansion and the story unfolds as you move from room to room. Mansion hotel and spa at werribee park is located next to the historic chirnside mansion. Werribee park mansion is a beautiful building that deserves inspection. This 3day melbourne city card takes the guesswork out of navigating public transport with an included 72hour hopon hopoff sightseeing tour and includes free admission to a number of attractions including the eureka skydeck, melbourne star, and yarra river cruise. Werribee park mansion,werribee, victoria, australia werribee park is the estate of a historical building in werribee, the haunting presence at werribee park mansion is said to be one of two people, or indeed both of them. Chirnside park is also the home ground werribee football club vfl. The experience is set in 1908 after the tragic death of mary chirnside. What was that, werribee mansion mystery night tour. Welcome to lancemore mansion hotel werribee park set amongst acres of formal english gardens and lush rolling lawns, lancemore mansion hotel werribee parks is located only 30minutes from melbourne yet feels an entire world away. The history of the werribee park mansion and orchard in 1.
We are endlessly fascinated by the lifestyles of the ricjh and famous, even if they lived a very long while ago. In 1883 thomas donated an acre of land and built the first church in werribee to be known as st thomas the apostle. Lancemore mansion hotel werribee park with its contemporary rooms and picturesque surrounds, including 10 acres of formal english gardens, the lancemore mansion hotel werribee park is one of melbournes premier wedding venues. Werribee mansion is surrounded by 10 hectares of formal gardens, widely attributed to w. Prominent victorian family the chirnsides sell toorak home.
Its one of melbournes most striking and beloved landmarks, costing the equivalent of 9 million to build. In 1839, the brothers moved to australia from scotland, and they became wealthy primarily through sheep farming. The brothers then began work on the 60 roomed werribee mansion. Werribee park mansion was built between 1874 and 1877 in the italianatestyle by the pioneering pastoralists thomas chirnside 18151887 and his brother andrew chirnside 18181890, from scotland, founders of the chirnside pastoral empire. Werribee park paranormal investigation twisted history. The landmark werribee park mansion is a vivid reminder of early melbourne and entrepreneurial spirit and trials of victorias pastoral pioneers. Werribees open range zoo and the national equestrian center are each a 3minute drive away. Explore the heritagelisted werribee mansion, set up a picnic in the beautiful formal gardens or see a kaleidoscope of colour when the 5000 roses bloom in the victoria state rose garden. Photo taken from wool past the winning post a history of. Probably one of the main attractions is to visit the historic chirnside mansion is the jewel of werribee park. By the 1870s, thomas was joined by his brother andrew, and together, they founded the chirnside pastoral empire and began building an italianatestyle bluestone mansion.
Night theatre performance at werribee park mansion for 2. The manor was owned by percy chirnside who was one of andrew chirnsides sons, the other was called george. R guilfoyle, curator of the melbourne botanic gardens. Mansion hotel and spa at werribee park accommodation. A beautiful historic mansion sits in the suburb of werribee in victoria. In 186063 he was a director of the national bank of australasia. Lancemore mansion hotel werribee park, werribee updated. Werribees open range zoo and the national equestrian centre are each a 3minute drive away. Wander down to the heritage orchard and see the work the community and parks victoria have put in to preserve and restore the fruit orchard originally planted by the chirnside family in the late 1800s. Once a thriving 80,000 acre farm owned by one of australian aristocratic family. Unique night visit to the stunning werribee park mansion normally shut to public printed material that covers the history behind the play available at the end of performance. When scottishborn thomas chirnside first moved to werribee in the late 1840s, the town was a common overnight stop for those travelling between the developing cities of melbourne and geelong. Werribee park mansion 2020 all you need to know before. Guests can take a walk in the peaceful surroundings of the lovely gardens.
He arrived in adelaide in january, and sydney in march of that year. Their enormous wealth helped to build the werribee mansion to a place of grandeur. Built and completed by wealthy scottish pastoralists, the chirnside family, in 1877, the mansion is a living, breathing postcard of the 19th century. They bought lollipop creek the property of james anderson and the property of edward wedge after his death in the werribee flood of 1852.
Its stunning architecture and rich history is also the home of not one, but 2 tragedies. Werribee park and mansion attraction tour werribee. Either way, this 3 hour paranormal investigation of the of the chirnside property in werribee is for you. Just a 30 minute drive from melbourne cbd, nestled among well manicured gardens you will find the historic werribee park mansion. In the late 1840s thomas chirnside moved to the werribee area and later built the mansion at werribee park.
Let a mischievous maid and suspicious butler take you on an entertaining journey through one of australias most spectacular properties. When andrew died he had left werribee park to george. In his last few years thomas chirnside took up residence in his mansion at werribee park where he fell sick and depressed. In 1923, the property was home to a catholic seminary named corpus christi college where additional wings were added by the monks that were living there. Complete with several wings and 60 rooms, it is a massive property. Known to some as the chirnside mansion, this spacious and elegant manor was built in the. The rooms open to the public include the billiard room, the main bedrooms, the reception rooms and part of the kitchen. In 1860 a site near the present hoppers crossing railway station was chosen to be the starting point of the first accurate surveying of the whole of victoria. Biography thomas chirnside australian dictionary of. Werribee park mansion construction in focus magazine. Soak up the richness of werribee park, an estate built on the wealth of an australian pastoral empire. Behind werribee mansion in a separate wing is the mansion hotel and spa. This book identifies the five main periods in the history of the werribee district from the 1830s to the 1930s. A major feature of chirnside park precinct is werribee outdoor olympic pool which is open from november march each year.
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