Kamesburgh Gardens Kamesburgh Gardens

76 North Rd, Brighton VIC 3186

The Kamesburgh Gardens are classified as "Significant Gardens".

Significant garden open to the public from sunrise to sunset. The mansion is privately leased by a school, so no entry is permitted. Public toilets are available.

The 20 room villa residence, Kamesburgh, was built for the merchant William Kerr Thomson in 1873-4 on part of Dendy's Crown Special Survey. Lloyd Tayler was the architect and David Mitchell the contract builder. With extensions, the building was cited in the 1884 rate book as of 40 rooms.

The property remained a domestic dwelling until the ownership of the prominent pastoralist, financier and politician Duncan McBryde. In 1918 negotations by the Repatriation Department led to purchase from him by the Melbourne real estate agents- the Baillieu brothers, who made a gift of the property as a care and rehabilitation centre for ex-servicemen. It was renamed Anzac Hostel and formally opened on 5 July 1919 by Sir Arthur Stanley, Governor of Victoria. First floor extensions were added at the rear and a lift installed. Administration was vested in the Red Cross.

A monumental structure on the grand scale, with colonnaded verandahs of the Tuscan and Ionic orders, its main entrance is topped by a tower and guarded at the base by two cast iron figures. Decorative elements of Anzac Hostel extend to vermiculated quions, balconettes, stained glass windows, urns and encaustic hall tiles, with cast iron balustrade panels to the main stair.

Sale of 6 acres in 1927 reduced the grounds to yet extensive 6 1/2 acres, still matching the scale of the building. The original cast iron gate posts and gatehouse introduce the scene. Anzac Hostel is a key element of Brighton streetscape, and solidly set in Melbourne's financial, philanthropic and social history.

❊ Address ❊

 ⊜  74-104 North Rd, Brighton 3186 View Map
 ✆ Telephone: (03) 9599 4687

---

❊ Web Links ❊

➼ Kamesburgh Gardens 

➼ heritage.vic.gov.au






Update Page