Werribee. Dining room and table setting in Werribee Park mansion built in 1875 for the Chirnside brothers.
Werribee Park Mansion. Pop 40,000.Land along the Werribee River, which rises in the Great Dividing Range near Ballarat with its vocalic soils, was always going to appeal to early sheep pastoralists. The river’s name was an Anglicised version of the local Aboriginal word Wearibie. The first white settler in 1836 was Edward Wedge, a former surveyor from Van Diemen’s Land who ran 2,600 sheep on 14 acres of land by the Werribee River. Wedge lived in a sod hut and gained license to the land in 1838. In the 1840s a proper house was built for Mrs Wedge and the children with a little garden. The crossing of the river near the house was known as Wedge’s Crossing for travellers from Melbourne to Geelong. In 1852 a downpour heightened the level of the river and the family retreated to the roof of the house for hours until the house disintegrated. The bodies of Mr and Mrs Wedge and one of their daughters was found a few days later on the beach at Williamstown along with their grand piano. Three local pastoralists rescued the other daughters and a son from the flood waters. They included Scottish Thomas Chirnside who had landed in Adelaide in 1839. Brother Andrew Chirnside joined Thomas in 1841 and they established several large pastoral estates in the Western Districts of Victoria. They had the Mt William run in the Grampians from 1842. Others runs were soon acquired and the canny Scots made a fortune with runs along the Wannon River and near Camperdown and Skipton. But Thomas clearly liked the potential of the Werribee River area. In 1851 he purchased around 200 acres freehold there and in 1852 he bought the Wedge property after the disastrous flood. In 1853 he bought Point Cook land and by 1855 he owned about 20,000 acres in the district bought up from small land holders. By 1880 Thomas and Andrew owned over 80,000 acres of land between Werribee, Point Cook and across to the You Yang Ranges. In the 1850s they lived at Point Cook in a bluestone homestead which had 27 rooms by 1857. Thomas had grand ideas and in 1857 he had an architect Edward Prowse of Geelong build him a 12 roomed house at Werribee Park which was occupied by his nephew Robert Chirnside until 1873. Brother Andrew returned to Scotland in the late 1840s, married and stayed there until he returned to Victoria in 1870 with his wife and eight children. Upon his return Andrew purchased a half share of his brother’s freehold lands for £77,330. Andrew commissioned a grand homestead to be built for around £20,000 to house his family and his bachelor brother Thomas.
Werribee Park mansion was built from 1874 to 1875 when it was occupied. The architect was London born James Fox who designed in the then popular Italianate style. The bluestone house faced on three sides with honey coloured sandstone house had more than 60 rooms with views across the Werribee River and it was near Port Phillip Bay. It was one of the finest homestead in the colony. The two storey house had a four storeyed tower in a central position above the colonnaded verandas. Classical ornamentation as used throughout the mansion. The servants’ quarters and the office wing completed a paved courtyard at the rear of the house. The “public” rooms for entertaining included a billiard room, a library, dining room, morning room. A grand hall with Corinthian columns and cast iron pillars led upstairs to a ballroom and the main bedrooms. Elegant gilt framed mirrors sat atop the marble fireplaces and internal architraves, doors and panelling were in Australian red cedar. The original furniture was all imported from Edinburgh. Outside a landscaped garden of 25 acres was established with European trees. The garden design has been attributed to William Guilfoyle the Curator of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens at that time. The grounds were used for sport and hunting of deer, foxes, quail, pheasants and hares which had been released on the estate. Lavish garden parties were also held in the gardens. Thomas Chirnside donated some of his land to the town of Werribee and funds for the construction of a Presbyterian Church with an eagle decorated wooden vaulted ceiling identical to the one in his billiard room.
But wealth does not always bring happiness and in 1887 Thomas transferred his share of the property to other members of the Chirnside family. Shortly after this he committed suicide in June 1887. Andrew Chirnside then ran the estate with his sons George and Percy until his death in 1890. Andrew’s wife lived in Werribee Park until her death in 1908. At this time the large estate was broken up for closer settlement. By 1921 George Chirnside owned Werribee Park as a property of just 2,000 acres. But the breaking up of the estate began earlier. In the 1890s the government acquired nearly 9,000 aces for a sewerage farm which still exists. The Chirnside brothers leased 18,000 acres to small tenant farmers in the 1890s. Another 5,000 acres was sold off in 1904 and in 1906 the government purchased a further 23,485 aces for closer settlement. This left just 2,670 acres at Werribee Park. George Chirnside sold the mansion and land in 1922 partly because of the cost of upkeep which included 30 staff. Now one of the descents of the Chirnside family runs a florist shop in Geelong, although they previously owned a large grand estate near Skipton which once covered 250,000 acres. It was a mere 2,500 acres when sold out of this part of the Chirnside family about 30 years ago.
After its sale Werribee Park mansion became a Catholic Seminary from 1922 until 1973. In December 1922 Archbishop Mannix of Melbourne with the bishops of Ballarat, Sandhurst and Sale established a seminary. They paid £70,000 for the mansion and almost 1,000 acres. A new wing of rooms was added in 1925 and more in 1927 including dining hall and chapel and more again in 1937. In that year Corpus Christi College had 108 students in their eight year theological course. By 1959 the college had 177 students and staff and the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny ran the domestic management of the college. The college closed in 1972 when a new theological seminary opened in Melbourne. Fortunately the Victorian government purchased the mansion for public use and access.
Werribee. Dining room and table setting in Werribee Park mansion built in 1875 for the Chirnside brothers.
Werribee Park Mansion. Pop 40,000.Land along the Werribee River, which rises in the Great Dividing Range near Ballarat with its vocalic soils, was always going to appeal to early sheep pastoralists. The river’s name was an Anglicised version of the local Aboriginal word Wearibie. The first white settler in 1836 was Edward Wedge, a former surveyor from Van Diemen’s Land who ran 2,600 sheep on 14 acres of land by the Werribee River. Wedge lived in a sod hut and gained license to the land in 1838. In the 1840s a proper house was built for Mrs Wedge and the children with a little garden. The crossing of the river near the house was known as Wedge’s Crossing for travellers from Melbourne to Geelong. In 1852 a downpour heightened the level of the river and the family retreated to the roof of the house for hours until the house disintegrated. The bodies of Mr and Mrs Wedge and one of their daughters was found a few days later on the beach at Williamstown along with their grand piano. Three local pastoralists rescued the other daughters and a son from the flood waters. They included Scottish Thomas Chirnside who had landed in Adelaide in 1839. Brother Andrew Chirnside joined Thomas in 1841 and they established several large pastoral estates in the Western Districts of Victoria. They had the Mt William run in the Grampians from 1842. Others runs were soon acquired and the canny Scots made a fortune with runs along the Wannon River and near Camperdown and Skipton. But Thomas clearly liked the potential of the Werribee River area. In 1851 he purchased around 200 acres freehold there and in 1852 he bought the Wedge property after the disastrous flood. In 1853 he bought Point Cook land and by 1855 he owned about 20,000 acres in the district bought up from small land holders. By 1880 Thomas and Andrew owned over 80,000 acres of land between Werribee, Point Cook and across to the You Yang Ranges. In the 1850s they lived at Point Cook in a bluestone homestead which had 27 rooms by 1857. Thomas had grand ideas and in 1857 he had an architect Edward Prowse of Geelong build him a 12 roomed house at Werribee Park which was occupied by his nephew Robert Chirnside until 1873. Brother Andrew returned to Scotland in the late 1840s, married and stayed there until he returned to Victoria in 1870 with his wife and eight children. Upon his return Andrew purchased a half share of his brother’s freehold lands for £77,330. Andrew commissioned a grand homestead to be built for around £20,000 to house his family and his bachelor brother Thomas.
Werribee Park mansion was built from 1874 to 1875 when it was occupied. The architect was London born James Fox who designed in the then popular Italianate style. The bluestone house faced on three sides with honey coloured sandstone house had more than 60 rooms with views across the Werribee River and it was near Port Phillip Bay. It was one of the finest homestead in the colony. The two storey house had a four storeyed tower in a central position above the colonnaded verandas. Classical ornamentation as used throughout the mansion. The servants’ quarters and the office wing completed a paved courtyard at the rear of the house. The “public” rooms for entertaining included a billiard room, a library, dining room, morning room. A grand hall with Corinthian columns and cast iron pillars led upstairs to a ballroom and the main bedrooms. Elegant gilt framed mirrors sat atop the marble fireplaces and internal architraves, doors and panelling were in Australian red cedar. The original furniture was all imported from Edinburgh. Outside a landscaped garden of 25 acres was established with European trees. The garden design has been attributed to William Guilfoyle the Curator of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens at that time. The grounds were used for sport and hunting of deer, foxes, quail, pheasants and hares which had been released on the estate. Lavish garden parties were also held in the gardens. Thomas Chirnside donated some of his land to the town of Werribee and funds for the construction of a Presbyterian Church with an eagle decorated wooden vaulted ceiling identical to the one in his billiard room.
But wealth does not always bring happiness and in 1887 Thomas transferred his share of the property to other members of the Chirnside family. Shortly after this he committed suicide in June 1887. Andrew Chirnside then ran the estate with his sons George and Percy until his death in 1890. Andrew’s wife lived in Werribee Park until her death in 1908. At this time the large estate was broken up for closer settlement. By 1921 George Chirnside owned Werribee Park as a property of just 2,000 acres. But the breaking up of the estate began earlier. In the 1890s the government acquired nearly 9,000 aces for a sewerage farm which still exists. The Chirnside brothers leased 18,000 acres to small tenant farmers in the 1890s. Another 5,000 acres was sold off in 1904 and in 1906 the government purchased a further 23,485 aces for closer settlement. This left just 2,670 acres at Werribee Park. George Chirnside sold the mansion and land in 1922 partly because of the cost of upkeep which included 30 staff. Now one of the descents of the Chirnside family runs a florist shop in Geelong, although they previously owned a large grand estate near Skipton which once covered 250,000 acres. It was a mere 2,500 acres when sold out of this part of the Chirnside family about 30 years ago.
After its sale Werribee Park mansion became a Catholic Seminary from 1922 until 1973. In December 1922 Archbishop Mannix of Melbourne with the bishops of Ballarat, Sandhurst and Sale established a seminary. They paid £70,000 for the mansion and almost 1,000 acres. A new wing of rooms was added in 1925 and more in 1927 including dining hall and chapel and more again in 1937. In that year Corpus Christi College had 108 students in their eight year theological course. By 1959 the college had 177 students and staff and the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny ran the domestic management of the college. The college closed in 1972 when a new theological seminary opened in Melbourne. Fortunately the Victorian government purchased the mansion for public use and access.