Abercrombie House : Exploring a Historic Mansion with Kids

On our recent trip to Bathurst we learned a lot about the people living in the town during 1800s. We explored the city and were impressed with architecture from colonial, Victorian and Federation periods. I was delighted to hear that there was a historic mansion on the outskirts of town that was built in the 1870s. Of course I dragged the whole family out for a visit.

In Australia’s earlier colonial times, William Stewart (1769-1854) was a soldier and the lieutenant-governor of NSW. On his retirement he was granted an estate of 3200 acres (1295 ha) in 1826 by Governor (Sir) Ralph Darling. Some time after his death, William’s eldest son, James built Abercrombie House –  www.abercrombiehouse.com.au on the property.

Today Abercrombie House is a heritage listed, historic mansion set on 5o acres in Bathurst. In 1969 the property was purchased by Rex Henry Morgan. The Morgan’s have spent years restoring the house, outbuildings and grounds to their original glory.

We decided to visit Abercrombie House shortly after we arrived for a short stay in Bathurst. It would be the perfect introduction to historic mansions for both Master R and Miss N. We drove the short distance out of town to the site, parked the car and walked up to the house. On purchasing our tickets we discovered that the ticket seller was one of the Morgans. We were even more surprised to learn that she lives in the house with her father (Christopher Morgan), mother and brother.

Whilst Abercrombie House is a privately owned historic mansion, the Morgan’s do open it up to the public from Wednesday to Sunday most weeks. Luckily our visit fell on one of these days. Miss Morgan explained to us that whilst her family lived in the house we were welcome to explore most rooms but to respect the barriers that denoted areas that were private (mostly bathrooms). She apologised for her bedroom in advance. We were then given free rein to walk around each floor.

The house is a time capsule from so many different periods of Australian history. There are walls dedicated to soldiers, their medals and their war efforts. Table tops with framed correspondence from Buckingham Palace. Celebrity signatures from as far back as the 60s (possibly further if I could recognise them). In one of the upstairs hallways we discovered cabinets boasting matchbox car collections, tin soldiers and other collectables for boys. The breakfast room revealed a collection of arms from some period past. Everywhere you look there is a treasure to inspect more closely.

When I enquired which room the kids liked best, both identified the young Morgan boy’s bedroom. Master R had to be held back from crossing the barrier to peer inside the specimen jars that ran along one wall. With animal skeletons, skins and collections strewn around the room both were intrigued.

Before we left the house to explore the gardens, we did ask Miss Morgan how comfortable she found sleeping on such a big bed. It looked rather lumpy but she assured us that it was comfy, that the secret to sleeping on old beds was a nice thick mattress.

Outside we explored the old laundry, stables and coach house. This really illustrated how wealthy the Stewart family were back in the day. Their coach house alone could house at least 4-5 coaches plus the coach master and his family. The gardens are exquisite. Old figs, a beautiful water fountain and lots of little details make it one to explore.

If you are Bathurst way, Abercrombie House is a historic mansion that should make it to your itinerary. Make sure to visit the Abercrombie House calendar before your visit to ensure that it is open for visitors. A family ticket cost us $35.o0. Abercrombie House is situated on 311 Ophir Road, Bathurst. Call (02) 6331 4929?? for enquiries.