“Rupertswood”
The 50 room Italianate mansion, with its 100 foot tower, was built in 1874-76 by William Clarke. Ironically, by the 1920’s, the magnificent building at which Dame Nellie Melba had sung and in the grounds of which the tradition of The Ashes was born, had become a home for underprivileged boys and had become sadly neglected. We restored its original colour scheme, which included extensive gilding, wood graining, marbling and uncovering decorative wall frescos. After restoration Rupertswood functioned as a leading conference, accommodation and function house.