Rupertswood

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rupertswood is a mansion and country estate located in Sunbury on the outskirts of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is well known as the birthplace of The Ashes, awarded to the winning team in cricket test match series between Australia and England. The house was completed in 1876 for Sir William Clarke a land owner and pastoralist who was one of Australia's wealthiest men and the first Australian born baronet. It was designed by local architect George L Browne in the Free Classical style.

Rupertswood is one of the largest houses constructed in Victoria and, although now subdivided, has significant farm land. The estate also had its own private railway station and even its own artillery battery.

It was sold in 1922 to Hugh Victor McKay a wealthy industrialist and inventor of the Sunshine Harvester. It was purchased by the Salesian Society in 1927, and the mansion and surrounding property were then used as a male boarding school, currently known as Salesian College, Rupertswood. In the past the school used the mansion for male boarders, but has discontinued the practice and is now a co-educational school.

The mansion was restored with the help of interior designer and Victorian architecture specialist Jacqui Robertson and is now used for weddings and other formal events. In March 2006, the Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay traveled to the area, where a re-enactment of the handing over of The Ashes to the British took place, in front of a small local crowd. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.