Rippon Lea Estate is a stunning heritage-listed property located in Elsternwick, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
It is owned and maintained by the National Trust of Australia, making it a significant and beautifully preserved piece of Australian history. The estate comprises 11 hectares (26 acres) of land, with the main attraction being the iconic historic house and gardens that have stood the test of time.
Rippon Lea Estate was built in 1868 for Sir Frederick Sargood, a prominent and wealthy Melbourne businessman, politician, and philanthropist. The estate was designed by architect Joseph Reed and initially consisted of a two-storey, 15 room house surrounded by an extensive pleasure garden, glasshouses, orchards, and vegetable gardens. The gardens were designed to be self-sufficient and featured a large man-made lake on the property. The house was one of the first in Australia to have electricity, generated by its own generators, with an electric bell system for communication with servants' quarters.
After Frederick's death in 1903, the house was nearly demolished by real estate developers. It was eventually sold to Ben and Agnes Nathan, who owned the Maples chain of furniture stores in Melbourne. Louisa Nathan, their eldest daughter, extensively remodeled the house to entertain on a lavish scale.
The estate is home to various gardens, man-made lakes, an iron-framed fernery, a stable complex, and a swimming pool with a Hollywood-style ballroom. The basement kitchen complex is a rare surviving example of a 19th-century kitchen suite, consisting of a kitchen, scullery, pantries, cool rooms, a servants' hall, and a wine cellar.
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