Over the weekend I made the trip to the small Victorian town of Sunbury to inspect one of this nation’s finest mansions – Rupertswood.

Set amongst gardens and playing fields, Rupertswood stands as a lasting legacy to the architecture and the prosperity of the nineteenth-century Victoria.

The mansion at Rupertswood.

Rupertswood was designed by architect George Brown for landowner, stud breeder and philanthropist Sir William Clarke in 1874. Clarke frequently used his manor for hosting social events and it is as a result of one of these occasions that The Ashes tradition was born (more on that later).

Clarke had considerable influence in Victoria such that when the Melbourne-Bendigo railway was constructed, he had it re-routed through his property with a station constructed on site! (The Rupertswood station was closed in 2004 when the Victorian Fast-Rail Project was initiated).

Rupertswood is 30 minute’s drive from Melbourne. One enters the property from Macedon Street in Sunbury through a set of ornate cast-iron-gates and past a giant gatehouse which leads to a long driveway. The driveway winds past vineyards and olive groves down to a lake which is fed by Jackson’s Creek and supports a large population of geese. From here the driveway winds past the playing fields to a carpark where the tall tower of Rupertswood is first seen. It is as one walks through the garden that the full splendour of Rupertswood becomes apparent.

Rupertswood has wide verandahs.

Whilst Rupertswood was once a private mansion, the house is now owned by the Catholic Church and is mantained as private housing for the Salesian priests that teach in the adjacent Salesian Catholic College. The school occupies much of the grounds of this vast estate as it has done since the Salesian fathers arrived in 1927 and purchased the property.

Rupertswood also functions today as a hotel and a reception hall but unfortunately doesn’t provide open-access for the public to the house nor does it offer any restaurant facilities for passing visitors. Nevertheless, it is well worth a visit as one can freely stroll around the grounds as well as admire the house from the outside.

The southern side of Rupertswood, showing the filigree detailing on the verandahs.

What I like about Rupertswood is the monumental scale of the mansion and the dominant tower. With it’s giant cast-iron verandahs, Rupertswood is an important Australian architectural response to the Second Empire architectural tastes that were popular at the time. The verandahs, which wrap around the front half of the building, are supported by double columns decorated with delicate filigree patterning. The tower, which has an imposing presence on the site, is beautifully decorated to the last detail and the house as a whole has been very well-maintained.

There is a circular driveway in front of the house which features a fountain and rose garden. As one ascends the steps to the house, the tessellated tiling on the floor of the verandah comes into view.

Rupertswood remains as one of the largest houses ever built in Victoria. With 50 rooms inside, only Werribee Mansion is of a comparable scale. The gardens at Rupertswood are reasonably well-maintained but the development of the school on the site has led to a considerable reduction in their size in comparison to what would have once been evident. New roads and associated infrastructure interfere with what would have once been delightful views across the property.

Detail of the Rupertswood tower.

The Ashes tradition

Back in 1882, Australia played Britain at The Oval in London and the Australian side unexpectedly won, causing a tongue-in-cheek obituary to be placed in the Sporting Times announcing the death of English cricket.

A British team was quickly assembled to sail to the antipodes to win back British pride after the disastrous loss to the colonials. Travelling to Australia on the same ship was the president of the Melbourne Cricket Club, Sir William Clarke, and his family. They invited the England XI to spend Christmas and New Year’s Day at Rupertswood where another game of cricket was had with Sunbury locals.

The British side won on that occasion and so Lady Clarke burned the bails, put them in an urn and presented them to the England captain as an ongoing trophy to the occasion. It was from there that The Ashes became a cricketing tradition that continues to this day.

Visiting Rupertswood

Rupertswood is of considerable heritage value to Australia, both culturally and architecturally. The building is significant, elaborate and most importantly intact. In recognition of this fact, Rupertswood is inscribed on the Commonwealth Heritage Register. But the site also represents a major historic site of major cultural significance.

Sunbury is 30 minutes drive from Melbourne, along the Tullamarine Freeway which becomes Sunbury Road. Upon arrival in Sunbury, turn right at the round-a-about on Macedon Road. Entry is free and there’s plenty of carparking. Just be sure to watch out for the geese!