Spring Outings – Werribee Park Mansion

On the way back from a family gathering we were passing Werribee Park Mansion, I had not been for several years and I have somehow managed to lose all the photos I took, so we made a quick stop. It was late and the Mansion itself was just about to close, but it was a glorious Spring afternoon and a walk around the lake and grotto was just enough for my knee to cope with and it allowed me to take the camera as well. I will have to go back and do the inside another time, apparently it is now completely restored back to it’s glory days, so I would love the photograph the inside as well.

What is it and Where is it?

This historical Mansion is situated at Werribee Park Estate, Werribee, Victoria, Australia. The Estate also includes the Victorian State Rose Garden, the Mansion Formal Gardens, the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, the Werribee Open Range Zoo (fabulous Zoo). The Park was purchased by the Victorian State Government in 1973 and it was opened as a tourist attraction in 1977, albeit in a bit of a mess back then, it has been under restoration for quite a while, with a new room or part of the mansion opening up every now and then.

A Little History

Werribee Park Mansion was built by pastoralists Thomas and Andrew Chirnside between 1874 and 1877. Its residential and working buildings supported a large farm workforce. After the death Thomas Chirnside, 1887, Andrew Spencer Chirnside then took over the running of the Werribee and all the holdings along with his sons. It was kept in the family until it was eventually sold and it has been used for various different resources and functions. After the original family estate it was turned into a Catholic seminary, the Corpus Christi College, from 1923 to 1973.

The Mansion and Estate have been used in many TV shows and Movies; The Genie From Down Under, The Pirate Movie, The Devil’s Playground. In 2007, the Mansion hosted two Elton John concerts as part of his Rocket Man Solo Tour. Every year the Grounds are used to host the Werribee Christmas Carols event, the harvest festival, and the polo championships. It was also used for the Olympics equestrian events. It is also a lovely place for a family picnic.

Opening times
	April to September	October to March
Mansion	10am to 4pm weekdays 10am to 5pm weekends/public holidays	10am to 5pm
Grounds	10.00am to 5.30pm	10am to 6.30pm