Thomas Austin is known for two things in history. Firstly, he constructed Barwon Park Mansion. Secondly, he introduced rabbits to Australia. Thomas Austin arrived from Somerset, England, in 1831 and acquired 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) of land near the Barwon River. In 1845, he married Elizabeth, who was born in England, and together they had 11 children. In 1859, Thomas imported 12 pairs of rabbits to Barwon Park so that he and his guests could participate in their favourite sport – rabbit hunting. And the rest, as they say, is history.

“The introduction of a few rabbits could do little harm and might provide a touch of home,” Thomas Austin

Rabbits!

Thomas’s love for rabbit hunting resulted in a plague of rabbits across Australia. To prevent the spread of rabbits from the eastern states into Western Australia, the Rabbit-Proof Fence was constructed between 1901 and 1907. Thomas, a member of the Acclimatization Society of Victoria, introduced non-native animals and plants to the colony, such as blackbirds and partridges.

Thomas Austin and his wife Elizabeth built the lavish 42-room mansion in 1871.  He passed away only six months after it was finished, but Elizabeth resided at Barwon Park until her passing in 1910 and became a renowned philanthropist. One of her most significant achievements was financing the Hospital for Incurables (later known as the Austin Hospital) in Heidelberg.

National Trust

In 1912, the house was sold to the Batson family, who later bequeathed it to the National Trust. At the time of the bequest, the house was still largely intact but had fallen into serious disrepair. Much of the furniture, artworks, and silverware had been sold off to provide income for the two sisters and one brother who remained in the house. The National Trust has since repaired the mansion and furnished it with furniture that was either original to the house or from the same time period.

The Grand Staircase

The staircase was the first of its kind in Australia. It led directly up the center of the hall and then branched left and right, rather than being on the side of the hall, as was the norm. Although it looks exactly like the one at Werribee Mansion, it was built three years before Werribee Mansion. Therefore, the Austins were the ones to introduce this style to Australia. The staircase was also built with much wider steps than normal to allow the ladies to descend gracefully and make a grand entrance. Downstairs, there is a sitting room, a drawing room, a dining room, a butler’s pantry, and a serving room. The kitchen was located on another level down, and food was sent up to the serving room for the servants to plate up. The butler would then take it to the table.

Upstairs, there is Mr. Austin’s bedroom and dressing room, across the hall from Mrs. Austin’s bedroom and dressing room. Then there are guest bedrooms and a bathroom, and further down the back stairs are the servant’s rooms and quarters.

The tour takes about an hour and is informative and well worth it.  If you are down Winchelsea way, definitely stop in. All images were taken on Olympus OM ED M1 Mark 11 with Olympus Zuiko 7-14 F2.8 Pro and exposure bracketed for five shots

Address:

Barwon Park Mansion: 105 Inverleigh Road, Winchelsea 3241 VIC

Open:

Open Wednesday and Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm. Tours run at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. Group tours are available by appointment. A Virtual Reality headset is available for mobility-impaired visitors courtesy of the State Trustees Australia Foundation.

Cost:

National Trust members: Free Adult: $10 Concession: $7 Child: $4 Family (2 adults + 2 children): $20