Gothic-Style Vaucluse House, Museum and Public Park

Vaucluse House. 69 Wentworth Road, Vaucluse, NSW

Vaucluse House, formerly the home of William Charles Wentworth (1762-1827) and his family, is now a tourist attraction, house museum and public park.

The original Vaucluse House was a cottage built by Sir Henry Brown Hayes, who was transported to New South Wales in 1802 for kidnapping the daughter of a wealthy Irish banker.

Brown Hayes had his cottage surrounded by Irish peat, with the idea that this would protect it from snakes. He believed that Saint Patrick had "so managed matters that no snake could not live on or near Irish soil".

Snakes, however, never lived in Ireland.

Brown Hayes named the property Vaucluse after the village where his favourite Italian poet Petrarch lived in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse near Avignon in southern France,

In in 1822, the property was acquired by Captain John Piper.

Vauclsue House in teh early days, NSW. Reproduced Conrad Martens's painting of Wentworth House, as it was then known, from the Willi Dixson collection. Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 18 September 1937

William Charles Wentworth, who first succesfully crossed the Blue Mountains along with Gregory Blaxland and Lt.William Lawson, bought the property from Captain Piper. .

W. C. Wentworth was the son of surgeon D'Arcy Wentworth and former Irish convict Catherine Crowley.

William Charles Wentworth (1790-1872), explorer, author, barrister, landowner, and statesman

Wentworth was a trailblazer in other ways too. He advocated for freedom of the press, self-government for NSW, trial by jury, and he founded Sydney University, the colony's first place of tertiary education.

After Wentworth entered the Parliament of New South Wales in 1843, he suggested the creation of hereditary peerage for Australia, an idea mocked as a "bunyip aristocracy".

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Tuesday 19 September 1933. The interior of a stately Colonial home. The furniture originally belonged to Mr. W. C Wentworth, the statesman, and was bought in London more than a century ago

Wentworth's wife, Sarah Cox, was born in 1805 to convict parents Frances Morton and Francis Cox. In 1825, she brought a breach of promise lawsuit against Captain John Payne who withdrew his offer of marriage. In court, Cox was represented by barrister W. C. Wentworth. Eventually, the couple had 10 children together.

By 1830, Wentworth had added turrets to the house, a sandstone stable, a large kitchen wing and convict barracks, and coach house. The 10 Wentworth children, however, occupied only three bedrooms.

 remains of convict barracks at Vacluse House, NSW, Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Wednesday 8 September 1909

Wentworth received the first state funeral in Australia after his death in 1872.

The Wentworth Mausoleum was commissioned by Sarah Wentworth to house the remains of William Charles Wentworth and family. The small sandstone chapel retains much of its original detail
The family mausoleum at Vaucluse House, NSW, Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938), Wednesday 19 January 1938 

Vaucluse House was acquired by the NSW State Government in 1910.

At Vaucluse House on Sunday, when a garden party of the Wentworth period was presented there as part of the 150th Anniversary Celebrations. Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938), Wednesday 9 March 1938

Around Vaucluse House

Vaucluse House. 69 Wentworth Road, Vaucluse, NSW

Vaucluse House. 69 Wentworth Road, Vaucluse, NSW

Vaucluse House. 69 Wentworth Road, Vaucluse, NSW

Vaucluse House. 69 Wentworth Road, Vaucluse, NSW

Vaucluse House. 69 Wentworth Road, Vaucluse, NSW

Things To Do

Vaucluse House

Visit Vaucluse House

The house is open Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., but the gardens are generally open (free of charge).

Vaucluse House. 69 Wentworth Road, Vaucluse, NSW 2030 Australia · (02) 9388 7922.

Cafe, conference facilities, picnic area and public toilet.