Rippon Lea House Museum & Historic Garden Melbourne

Rippon Lea House Museum & Historic Garden Melbourne

Rippon Lea House Museum and Historic Garden, Melbourne was built by Frederick Sargood between 1868 and 1903. Situated in Elsternwick, it is 8-kilometers from the centre of the city. After Sargood bought the land he named it after his mother Emma Rippon.

Reed and Barnes designed the magnificent building. The house had an elaborate drainage, sanitation and water system. But after the death of Federick Sargood, Sir Thomas Bent who divided a large section of the property into smaller blocks bought the house. With his death Benjamin Nathan bought the house and saved it from more subdivisions.

Louisa, the eldest daughter of Benjamin Nathan, inherited the property after his demise and soon introduced major renovation plans. A swimming pool was introduced in place of the original ballroom and Sargood’s billiard room was transformed into the new ballroom. Even the overall décor was given a simpler look. Large privately owned 19th century suburban estates are almost extinct in Australia and this is the reason for the Rippon Lea House Museum & Historic Garden, Melbourne to become one of the major Melbourne tourist attractions.

After selling and subdividing land in the 1940s and 1954 the original land of 11.3 hectares was reduced to 5.7 hectares. Now the Rippon Lea House Museum & Historic Garden is one if the flagship properties of the National Trust and with the help of funds from the Andrews Foundation major restoration work have taken place. Today it is a fascinating structure of polychrome brickwork and stained glass. The associated outbuildings include the stable, the lodge, the glasshouses, the fernery and the porte-cochere.

Look & Landscape

The landscaped garden with a conservatory, a lake, a lookout tower, an orchard and beautiful flowerbeds, gracing over five hectares of the total area is the main attraction. It is an ideal place to stroll through the scenic garden or relax by the lake or view the picturesque surroundings from the top of the tower. This is one of the most scenic gardens in Melbourne.

The tearoom at the Rippon Lea House Museum & Historic Garden, Melbourne is open from 11am to 4pm for the tourists. One of the most popular of the Melbourne parks and gardens, the Rippon Lea House Museum & Historic Garden, Melbourne is open everyday from 10am to 5pm except for Christmas and Good Friday. Guided tour of the house is also available every two hours from 10:30am to 4pm, while a guided tour of the estate is available around 2pm.

Do not forget to visit this magnificent site with an intriguing history while sightseeing in Melbourne.

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