Vaucluse House is located in Sydney, and was named with inspiration by the 14th century poet Petrarch. The owner was a fan of the poet, and named the house after Petrarch's Fontaine de Vaucluse, the popular spring in South of France. The suburb Vaucluse, where the house is located, is named after this beautiful and historic residence.
Vaucluse House was built by Sir Henry Brown Hayes, who had been transported to Australia during 1802, after he kidnapped the daughter of a wealthy
banker. He was allowed to purchase land and develop a house on the site, as the Governor at the time did not approve of his character and felt it would be in the city's interests if he was located far away from it.
The ironic side to this story, is that in today's city of Sydney, Vaucluse is a highly desirable and affluent suburb and is considered very convenient and accessible from the city centre. Stories from history, such as this, prove how the city has developed and geographical demographics have changed over the span of a few hundred years.
Vaucluse House was also considered a modest residence at the time. The surrounding area was used to create a small farm with an orchid and livestock. Stables were constructed, as were several smaller buildings, separate from the main building. Today, the suburb of Vaucluse is only residential, and houses and apartments are tightly packed, as residents have crowded this beach side suburb.
Vaucluse is managed by the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales, as a
museum that is open to the public. Many of the original fittings can still be seen, and the property is well looked after, and loved by the local residents.
