130-432: Everglades is a heritage-listed former residence, art gallery, cafe and garden and now tourist destination, house museum and garden at 37 - 49 Everglades Avenue, Leura , City of Blue Mountains , New South Wales , Australia. The garden was designed by Paul Sorensen (possibly in collaboration with Henri van de Velde) and the design of the house is also attributed to Paul Sorensen; and built from 1915 to 1938 by Ted Cohen. It
260-885: A Justice of the High Court of Australia . The property was home to the NSW Toy and Railway Museum. which closed in 2022, with the toys subsequently auctioned off. As of April 2024, the Leuralla property is for sale. Another major attraction is the Everglades Gardens , the former home of Belgian -born industrialist Henri van de Velde now administered by the National Trust . The Everglades includes van de Velde's Moderne -style home and 5 hectares (13 acres) of landscaped gardens designed by Paul Sorensen . The Everglades has an outdoor theatre which often hosts productions such as Cirquinox and
390-690: A $ 100,000 grant reinstatement of the traditional internal paint scheme, upgrading of pathways and the production of new interpretative material. As at 23 December 2008, the physical condition is good. While the garden was neglected approximately 1947 (Van der Velde's death) until 1962 when bought by the National Trust, and subject to varying degrees of maintenance during that period and since, it retains its overall layout, major design features such as driveways, paths, terrace walls and steps, major built structures, and major plantings. Funding and standards of maintenance have never equalled those pre-1947, however
520-527: A bronze stateue called "Boy with a thorn in his foot". This restored the bronze to its place under the Japanese maple ( Acer palmatum ) in the courtyard where it had been since the 1930s. In 2011 the National Trust started a campaign to raise funds so a new "Boy" could be cast to replace the artwork. Then news came that an exact replica was about to be auctioned in Melbourne . Fortuitously the sum of donations enabled
650-510: A building contractor, began a process of restoration said to have cost rather less than $ 8m. In December 1998, the ground floor and one floor of guest rooms was re-opened, with other areas following as progress and finances permitted. Mr. Leach would not say what the restoration has cost, but claims it is less than the "$ 6m to $ 8m" he says is being spent on that other fabulous mountains hotel, the Hydro Majestic Hotel . Leach's first task
780-661: A cabin boy on a steamer. He worked on ships until 1874 when he settled in New Zealand . Here he prospered as an hotelier in Wellington . In 1890 he came to Sydney In 1892–96 he managed the Grand Central Coffee Palace Hotel in Clarence Street. In 1893 he married Nellie Eloise Parkes whose family were experienced hoteliers. In 1896, by now known as Joynton Smith, he laid the foundation of his fortune when he leased,
910-465: A catalyst for the development of the town, which expanded considerably during the 1890s and appointed a municipality in 1899. The hotel has been closely associated with the continuing history of Katoomba and the whole of the Blue Mountains area, from the time it was built until the present day. In its various stages of development it constitutes a physical record of the history of the area, in particular
1040-450: A climate that reflects all four seasons distinctly. The village centre lies on Leura Mall which is divided at this point by a wide grassy median strip planted with flowering cherry trees by Danish -born landscape gardener Paul Sorenson . The historic streetscape has been largely preserved, although there was local concern regarding the development of a shopping complex on the site of a former distribution warehouse. Redesigned to better suit
1170-556: A company selling them. He was a very flamboyant man and did magic tricks, sang comic Cockney songs and played the concertina. He smoked cigars but rarely drank alcohol. He enjoyed boxing, kept fit with a masseur and sauna and was a good billiards player. He owned three mansions in Sydney one of which was called Hastings at Coogee Beach . He died here in 1843. Although in a time of decline in Mountains tourism, The Carrington remained popular through
1300-491: A creative arts centre here in 1982 and visitation increased. In 1983 after almost 50 years in the garden, a bronze statue "Boy with a thorn in his foot" was stolen. At the same time, another Everglades sculpture of Pan went missing and the Trust has as yet been unable to locate it or find a replacement. Between 1987-98 it was leased to Albech a development company. Mawland Holdings took over Albech's interest, increased maintenance of
1430-711: A decade before 1933 (when Henry van de Velde acquired it) and had formed part of a more extensive estate in Leura for over half a century, ever since Captain Reynolds took out a series of conditional leases of Crown land in 1880 and 1881. Reynolds' acquisitions included portion 91, where Everglades is situated. The face of modern south-east Leura was shaped by the activities of Reynolds and his successors. Intensive subdivision of Reynolds' estate by Ernest Nardin, continued by his widow Ellen, created both residential and recreational possibilities. More people bought and built in south-east Leura and
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#17328868338401560-416: A dominant feature in the formal part of the garden would detract from both the view and the garden. Apart from the problems of the slope, the other major difficulty encountered was the thinness and rocky nature of the soil. The very factors that made the Blue Mountains such a desirable destination for the holiday maker- the spectacular cliffs and the rugged grandeur of the scenery- created immense problems for
1690-566: A feature article in a building journal. Many famous people visited the hotel including the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Elizabeth the Queen Mother ). A photo of this event in 1927 is shown. Sir John Joynton Smith (1858–1943) was born in London in 1858. His father was a master brass fitter. He worked in his father's shop for some time and tried several other jobs before signing on as
1820-456: A fern-covered cliff face rich in ironstone to end at the Grotto Pool, which fits so perfectly into its setting that is difficult to believe that it is not a natural feature retained in the garden by Sorensen. The pool is fed by a waterfall, which tumbles over the cliff, its watercourse having traversed the full southern side of the property. The other path from the lookout leads through bushland to
1950-419: A flat finish in utilitarian rooms and a textured finish in the others. Ceilings are plastered or rendered and exhibit a hierarchy of embellishment of the plaster cornices , from nothing or a small cove in halls and bathrooms to elaborate Art Deco treatment in the living and bedrooms. Most rooms retain the carpet, which is in relatively good condition. Where this has been removed the boards have been painted with
2080-522: A gatehouse (No 9) was erected where the line crossed the Western Road near the present Sorensen Bridge. The gatekeepers were the first permanent European residents of the area, Another early presence occurred following the discovery of coal in the Jamison Valley below the present Leura golf course in the early 1880s, which led to the establishment of a colliery. The earliest appearance of the name Leura
2210-407: A gloss finish jade green paint. The bathrooms are highly intact and are a particular feature of the house with their generous layout and unusual decor. Other significant details of the exterior and interiors of the building have been noted in tables Appendix 2-Exterior Fabric Survey and Appendix 3 Interior Fabric Survey. (.Murphy, 1998) Located near the front gate, in an elevated position hard against
2340-527: A grazier who in turn sold to Swain & Co. Pty Ltd, whose then principal Mr A. N. Swain was a garden lover. After acquiring Swain & Co, Angus and Robertson , Booksellers and publishers attempted to dispose of the property, advertising in Britain and Europe, in an attempt to attract a purchaser with sufficient means to maintain the garden. That attempt failed and it was again offered for auction in Australia, but
2470-525: A low stone wall, the house not being visible from the street. The driveway entrance is located at the highest point of the site and was at first something of a problem, owing to the steep fall of the land. Sorensen overcame the difficulty by routing it along the upper level of the land for much of the width of the site before leading it in a series of sweeping curves down through the garden, passing firstly through areas of open lawn and flower beds and then past enormous banks of rhododendrons before sweeping around
2600-492: A music room, resulting in 119 bedrooms and seven suites of rooms, two tennis courts and flower and vegetable gardens.. He told a newspaper reporter in 1890 of the improvements he had made. The article read: "Among the additions and improvements to the building are the following — a wing built (in 1886) of cut stone, and having a southerly aspect, consisting of 20 single rooms, and called 'the bachelors' wing.' Early in 1888 Mr. Goyder, having taken advantage of his right, purchased
2730-425: A notable garden designer, in collaboration with Henri van de Velde the owner. It has significance due to its unusually rich collection of exotic flora. It also has associations with Henri van de Velde, an important businessman of the immediate pre-World War II years. It has significance as an example of a mountain retreat illustrating the way of life of its period. It has significance due to the aesthetic regard held for
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#17328868338402860-444: A number of heritage-listed sites, including: At the 2016 census , there were 4,644 people in Leura. 66.1% of people were born in Australia. The next most common country of birth was England at 6.5%. 81.7% of people only spoke English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 39.8%, Anglican 15.7% and Catholic 14.0%. Leura's elevation of 985 metres (3,232 ft) AHD leads to occasional snowfall in winter and
2990-447: A pair of genuine Ming vases, the silver plate that now sits in a glass-fronted cupboard in the dining room. Vast Victorian oil paintings went off for cleaning and restoration, chandeliers were cleaned and re-hung, silver polished, clocks returned to working order, and pieces of furniture copied for the guest rooms (the bedheads even have the CH logo). In 2002 a master plan for a new town square
3120-479: A place for gathering to mark special community events such as the re-enactment in 1951 of the first crossing of the Blue Mountains in 1813. The documentary evidence available for the Carrington Hotel garden fronting Katoomba Street indicates several phases of modification of the grounds. Physical evidence of older features such as terracing/ paths, the site of the croquet lawn and tennis court still survives and
3250-577: A prominent Katoomba landmark. Carrington Hotel was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales. The original building was one of the earliest sizeable buildings on Katoomba. The building of this and other large hotels and guest houses acted as
3380-469: A row of windows to either side, each a panel of etched glass with stained glass surround. The Billiard Room and adjoining double lounge area are robustly detailed, with arched brick fireplaces and stained glass windows. The former Library is panelled and beamed in Edwardian taste and is complete with wide shelves for display of china and lead glazed bookshelves. The Ballroom was decorated in the twenties after
3510-478: A simple timber bridge, which spans the watercourse immediately above the falls and provides another view of the Grotto pool. As the path is followed from the bridge the character of the garden changes once more to the gentle slopes, well grassed and dominated by stands of deciduous trees such as maples, poplars and birch before the patterns back to itself to climb a hill through drifts of rhododendron and azaleas back to
3640-426: A small rise above and adjoining the main shopping street and railway station of Katoomba. The hotel's northern main entrance is landscaped with sweeping drives from Katoomba Street to the portico or colonnade of its front doors, terraced gardens and mature trees including two Bunya pines ( Araucaria bidwillii ) on the southern upper slope, silver birch ( Betula pendula ) and Himalayan cedar ( Cedrus deodara ) on
3770-484: A substantial number of restaurants, cafes and coffee shops along Leura Mall, among the boutiques, gift and antique shops. Leura is home to many formal, English-style, cool-climate gardens, influenced or designed by Paul Sorenson , which provide elegant walks and the opportunity to visit when open to the public in early October each year. In 2016, Leura was named in the list of top 50 most irresistible, exotic, historic and postcard-worthy small towns in Australia. One of
3900-409: A success and when he had the chance to take over the hotel he seized the opportunity. With the permission of Lord Carrington who visited the premises in 1886 in his capacity as Governor of NSW Carrington gave permission for Goyder to change its name to The Carrington Hotel. From 1885 Carrington began to make additions to the premises including an additional wing, dining hall, two drawing rooms and
4030-456: Is also known as Everglades Gardens . The property is owned by the National Trust of Australia (NSW). It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 1 March 2002. Until 1813 the Blue Mountains proved a restriction to the expansion of settlement in Australia. In that year Blaxland , Wentworth and Lawson made the first successful crossing and opened the vast interior of
Everglades, Leura - Misplaced Pages Continue
4160-471: Is also known as Great Western Hotel . The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The Carrington is the only 19th century grand resort hotel still in use in New South Wales. It also retains much of the fabric of its major phases of development and continues to occupy the commanding position in Katoomba that it has done since its construction. It
4290-478: Is at figure 4. Brick Shelter: This small building, constructed of brick with a clay shingle roof appears in very early photographs of the garden. Its exact purpose has not been determined but it is a finely detailed structure, which adds to the character of the garden. Its condition is sound and it is presently being used as an information centre for the garden. National Trust Magazine NSW November 2008-January 2009: completion of much needed work at Everglades funded by
4420-404: Is capable of seating 200 guests. There are now 135 rooms in the hotel, among which are seven suites of private apartments, most comfortably furnished and conveniently situated, including one of the prettiest bridal suites to be found in the colonies." On 30 April 1888 the property was transferred to F. C. Goyder and mortgaged to Hunt and Thorpe. In 1890 Goyder became the first Mayor of Katoomba and
4550-409: Is evident in some of the surface contours, especially in the area of the lower terrace where it is proposed to put a new Town Square. There are also areas of former hard paved surfaces, kerbing and guttering along the driveway loop. Particularly notable are the four remaining, handsome sandstone gatte posts at the northern entry on Katoomba Street. The site and foundations of a fifth post (removed from
4680-457: Is little visible evidence of the immense physical difficulties encountered in building the garden. Construction took place before the days of heavy earth moving equipment and consequently all earthworks and the movement of the heavy stone were carried out by manpower alone. Fortunately for Everglades, the Depression was at its height and manpower was readily available albeit unskilled. Sorensen saw
4810-544: Is one of the finest resort hotels in the State with several outstanding features. The facade is richly decorated, its undulating Italianate balcony is set on columns over a paved piazza. A wall of stained glass encloses the former verandah and provides an excellent example of Art Nouveau glazing. The Central Dining Hall is an impressive interior space, measuring 12 by 18 metres (40 by 60 ft) in size, with an enriched panelled plaster ceiling, timber dado , high columns and
4940-699: Is one of the series of small towns stretched along the Main Western railway line and Great Western Highway that bisects the Blue Mountains National Park . Leura is situated adjacent to Katoomba , the largest centre in the upper mountains, and the two towns merge along Leura's western edge. The original inhabitants of the area were the Dharug and Gundungurra people. Archaeological evidence at Lyrebird Dell in South Leura suggests that Aboriginal occupation of
5070-414: Is partly covered with Austrian rugs, which are easily removed for dancing. The piano is a Brinsmead, and is considered one of the finest grands; its tone is full and soft. The dining hall is also new; it measures 60ft, by 40ft. The floor is carpeted, and everything conducive to comfort is present. The ceiling is lofty, the lighting good, and the table decorations and menu leave nothing to be desired. This hall
5200-414: Is rendered. The south wing has the letters KATOOMBA ELECTRIC SUPPLY on the lintels and other decorative brick detailing. The octagonal brick chimney appears to be in good condition, apart from the loss of a few bricks from its top. It is an important Katoomba landmark. A boiler which was in use until recently remains within the power station. An earlier horizontal boiler was removed when the current boiler
5330-635: The "Great Western Hotel" with wrought iron lacework at the front. It was built in 1883 by Harry George Rowell (1827–1885). Rowell was born in England in 1827. His father James Rowell was an innkeeper in Hertford . He went to India in about 1845 and lived in Bombay for over thirty years working in the English Civil Service. In the late 1870s he migrated to Sydney with his wife Frances and their children and became
Everglades, Leura - Misplaced Pages Continue
5460-548: The 1930s made unaided by van de Velde and Paul Sorensen . The van de Velde connections within the Sydney suburb of Manly and at Leura and the significance of Una van de Velde and her Maitland sisters are important antidotes to the simplistic and rather triumphalist story which centres around the two major male figures. Henry van de Velde, born in Belgium in 1875, was a modest but wealthy man of astute business ability with boundless energy and wide interests. His main business activity
5590-445: The 1950s and 1960s. On 18 December 1967 the property was transferred to six people, one of whom was Theodore Constantine Morris, a property developer, who held a half share. On 5 May 1969 the entire property was transferred to Morris. In 1968 the swimming pool was constructed and a general redecoration was undertaken. During the later years of the 20th century elements such as the pergola, trellis and some garden beds were removed and
5720-447: The Adam style. Present Cocktail Lounge is illuminated by an Art Nouveau stained glass dome . Two bronze torches in the central hall. The "wing" Bedroom Suites' of 1927 are impressive, each with its own bathroom, built-in wardrobe and leaded and coloured glass window. Small Lounges in the bedroom areas are typically furnished with writing desks, long settees and central ottomans. Bathrooms in
5850-461: The Blue Mountains at the time for, in his search of perfection; Sorensen was to seek plants from a large number of nurseries. Many of the plants were imported specifically for Everglades, some trees as far afield as Holland but many more from Duncan and Davies nursery in New Zealand. Other plants came from Victoria, in particular from Nobelius Nursery and Remington's Nursery. From the studio viewpoint
5980-430: The Blue Mountains beyond. The Terraces he constructed were accordingly aligned with the natural slope and to take advantage of the views in a way, which did not allow the scale of the scene to overwhelm the garden. He held that the form of the garden was more important than colour and considered that Australian gardens generally were only interested in colour with the result that the form was often neglected. Also unusual for
6110-459: The Carrington Hotel garden fronting Katoomba Street indicates several phases of modification of the grounds. Physical evidence of older features such as terracing/ paths, site of the croquet lawn and tennis court still survive and is evident in some of the surface contours, especially in the area of the Lower Terrace. There are also areas of former hard-paved surfaces, kerbing and guttering along
6240-429: The Carrington Hotel have high historic, aesthetic, social and technical importance as an integral component - the essential visual and functional setting - of a rare example of a grand late 19th-early 20th century resort hotel of State significance in a town setting, with an early 20th century garden layout containing important surviving elements of its design that is largely intact in its extent. The underlying structure of
6370-562: The Carrington Hotel, the predicted physical evidence survived intact below more modern layers. More primary physical evidence and archaeological material is likely to survive in the Upper Terrace area (not dealt with in the current project) and elsewhere across the site. The predicted high potential of some areas of the site as assessed in prior heritage studies and in the Archaeological Assessment Report has been confirmed by
6500-720: The Dardanelles Pass, before ascending to Echo Point via the Giant Stairway. The area is popular for bushwalking and photography. Carrington Hotel, Katoomba The Carrington Hotel is a heritage-listed former spa, hotel and power station and now hotel and public bar located at Katoomba Street, Katoomba in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales , Australia. It was designed by John Kirkpatrick and Bosser in 1882; and by Edward Hewlett Hogben with Goyder Brothers in 1911–13; and built from 1882 to 1913 by F. Drewett in 1882; and by Howie, Brown and Moffit in 1912–13. It
6630-455: The Grotto pool, created by the placing of a 40-ton rock in its present position. Sorensen was retained to carry out maintenance work on the gardens even when development work was not in hand. Work on the garden continued with an interruption due to the War until 1947 when Van de Velde died. Following Van de Velde's death the property was purchased firstly by Mr E. E. Bristow who sold to Mr Harry Pike,
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#17328868338406760-472: The Gym and provides a structural feature of period interest. This is a typical rustic structure common in large gardens throughout history. It is constructed with a standard timber frame overlaid with elaborately hewn planks. It consists of two rooms with a central chimney structure housing fireplace and stove. Its condition is sound. A plan of this building taken from the previous conservation plan by Knox and Tanner
6890-460: The Leura Mall ambience after consultations with the wider community, the new shopping complex was completed in 2010, hosting a Woolworths (now Metro) supermarket and liquor store. The historic post office building continues to operate as a post office but is also home to a real estate agency. The Alexandra Hotel, overlooking the railway station, offers panoramic views from its back veranda. There are
7020-817: The Leura Shakespeare festival. Self-styled as "the Garden Village", the Leura Gardens Festival is held annually in October. The Festival is a registered charity and raises money for the Blue Mountains District ANZAC Memorial Hospital in Katoomba by opening private gardens to the public. Not connected with the garden festival but also held at the same time is the popular Leura Village Fair. Natural attractions include Sublime Point to
7150-557: The National Trust has reversed this trend in recent years, implementing a program of staged garden and structural repair works, to conserve, repair and reinstate important features. Due to the dynamic nature of gardens, and changing levels of shade and moisture under maturing tree cover, ground level plantings have changed since the initial design. Further tree and shrub pruning work is required in terms of removing risks to visitors and structures, removing dead wood, and reinstating views of significance. A lack of funds has to date not enabled
7280-465: The Trust managed it directly, a period marked by unsuccessful attempts to exploit the place and uneven decline. In 1963 the Trust requested the NSW Government resume undeveloped lots to the south of Everglades. Approval was given in 1964. The Trust was appointed trustee in 1964. Until 1981 the Trust endeavoured by various attempts to make the property a financial asset. The squash court became part of
7410-611: The Trust to bid on it and gain it. The "Boy" or "Il Spinario" is a bronze cast from a 1st-century BC statue now in the Palazzo dei Conservatori in Rome. The original was given to the city of Rome by Pope Sixtus IV in the 12th century and stood for centuries outside the Lateran Palace. It was taken in the Napoleonic Wars, and triumphantly paraded into Paris. In 1816 it was repatriated to Rome. In
7540-401: The Trust to repair the pump on the grotto pool, although this is proposed. Further research work is required to clarify the roles and contribution made to the place by Henri van der Velde and Paul Sorenson, to identify the changes made to the garden post 1947 (cf those made pre-1947), and clarify the relative significance of each, in order to prioritise conservation and other works required to
7670-434: The angle of the house and matching stuccoed walls is linked to this terrace via an arched opening which gives focus to a large stone urn at the far or northern end of the terrace. Other openings are in this enclosing wall is filled with free form art deco wrought iron grilles also designed by Sorensen. The court was designed as the home for several pieces of classical sculpture, collected by Van de Velde on his travels around
7800-437: The archaeological work completed. The Carrington Power Station is one of few surviving privately owned and established small country power stations. It is particularly significant because it provided the first electricity supply in the Blue Mountains. The station boiler (the second to be used) remains in situ and was operated until recently. The chimney is an integral part of the power station complex and has for many years been
7930-431: The commanding position in Katoomba that it has done since 1882. The buildings and grounds represent a wealth of evidence of attitudes to leisure and hotel operation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They also reflect the history of Katoomba and the work of a succession of notable families, and the lifestyle of the Blue Mountains as a recreation area during its period of greatest activity. The garden and grounds of
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#17328868338408060-498: The country to settlement. The construction of a road soon followed and in 1863 a railway was built as far as Penrith and extended as far as Mount Victoria by 1868. By the 1870s it has become fashionable for elite families to acquire mountain retreats with magnificent views where in summer the air was considerably cooler than Sydney . Villages such as Leura developed to serve these retreats which over time developed large European gardens. The Everglades had borne that name for at least
8190-539: The design of the house as well as the garden. Van de Velde spent every weekend tirelessly working in the gardens, frequently extracting labor from his many guests. Sorensen estimated that Van de Velde spent thousands on the development of the Everglades and considered him to be the greatest patron of landscaping gardening that Australia ever had. Paul Sorensen (1890-1983) commenced landscape training in Copenhagen in 1902 with
8320-448: The drive in the 1970s but with fabric still present within the grounds) may survive archaeologically. The driveway was realigned in 1912, and archaeological evidence relevant to that alteration may also be present. Landscape archaeology may also be expected to be able to clarify matters such as the presence and extent of sub-surface features such as the edge of the central garden path, and precise position of now-vanished structures such as
8450-486: The driveway loop. Particularly notable are the four remaining, handsome stone gate posts at the northern entry on Katoomba Street. The site and foundations of a fifth post (removed from the drive in the 1970s but with fabric still present within the grounds) may survive archaeologically. The driveway was realigned in 1912, and archaeological evidence relevant to that alteration may also be present. Landscape archaeology may also be expected to be able to clarify matters such as
8580-473: The driveway. The house is of masonry construction, built on three floors incorporating a basement, ground and first floors. It sits on a site sloping quite steeply to the southwest, allowing only half the general floor area in the basement, while part of the first floor is attic space. The roof is terra cotta tile and the walls are cavity brick finished in a Mediterranean style stucco; windows are steel framed except for those enclosing Bedroom G.3 The exterior of
8710-399: The early 20th century stone wall of the Carrington Hotel obscured and detracted from traditional views to the place. The hotel was closed in 1986 under then owner Theo Morris for non-compliance with fire regulations. It was boarded up, and remained empty and derelict until 1991 when it was purchased with the aim of restoring and relaunching it to its former glory. In 1992, Geoffrey Leach,
8840-482: The edge of the central garden path, and precise position of now vanished structures such as the timber pergola , tennis court, garden plantings and garden edges. It remains much of the fabric of its major phases of development. As at 30 September 1997, The Carrington Hotel is the only 19th century grand resort hotel still in use in NSW. It retains much of the fabric of its major phases of development and continues to occupy
8970-581: The entire portion. Tenders were called for the Western Star Hotel by J. Kirkpatrick of Kirkpatrick & Bossler, architects in September 1881. On 18 January 1882 Lots 10-15 of Section 2 was transferred to Harry George Rowell. The same year the hotel was constructed by F. Drewett, a builder from Lithgow , opening as the Great Western Hotel. The hotel was originally a large Victorian building called
9100-504: The final two years of his training under the direction of Lars Nielsen, a leading Danish Horticulturist responsible for the design of much of the open space system of Copenhagen. This period included maintenance work at Villa Hvdore, the summer place of Queen Alexandra of Denmark. In 1914 Sorensen decided to emigrate and left for Australia. He managed to gain a position as gardener at the Carrington Hotel , Katoomba and began remodeling
9230-530: The first large home erected at Leura was Leura House, high on the northern side of the Western Road, in the late 1880s. Another early house was Mondeval in Railway Parade which was built in the 1890s. A railway platform was erected in 1891, followed on Christmas Eve 1892 by the opening of the Leura Coffee Palace. Postal facilities were established in 1893 and during the next 20 years land on both sides of
9360-418: The first task as deciding on the qualities of the site most desirable for retention. Existing trees were marked to be kept, only mishapen or damaged ones were to be removed. Sorensen must have been keenly aware of the opportunities to exploit the dramatic outlook over the Jamison Valley from the lower part of the site. The view of distant cliffs and valley floor carpeted with dense eucalpyt forest, all softened by
9490-404: The former power house. The partners have achieved some of these aims, while also devoting their energies to the conservation of the hotel's original fabric. In July 2010 a bottle shop was opened in the former boiler room of the power house facing Parke Street. This involved the stabilisation of portions of the internal and external fabric of the structure. The Carrington Hotel is sited on top of
9620-413: The garden and proposed development of a 20-room guesthouse on lot 8. This failed to occur and in 1998 the property returned to direct control of the National Trust. In 2007 a comprehensive tree survey was undertaken. In 2008 access and safety issues were reassessed and above-ground water tanks were installed. On 28 July 2012, a function was held to celebrate the (re-)installation of an authenticated copy of
9750-441: The garden area also attest to its past importance and renown while also providing an essential reference point for conservation. The hotel complex as a whole is a rare surviving example of large Victorian / Edwardian resort hotel within a small town setting, and more particularly one of the few to retain so significant a garden setting to its main frontage as regards both its size and detailing. Comparing it with similar sites within
9880-483: The garden builder. The whole area was formed from sandstone, which belongs to the Narabeen group of Triassic sandstones. Much of the stones character comes from its richness in iron oxide which gives it its rich, dark red or purple coloured narrow bands and layers which, over eons have been warped by geological movement. The iron oxide makes the layers containing it much harder than the surrounding stone so that with erosion of
10010-407: The garden demonstrates the principal characteristics of an early 20th century design retaining aspects of the earlier garden including 1890s-early 1900s mature plantings of Bunya pine ( Araucaria bidwillii ), Monterey pine ( Pinus radiata ), a bull bay ( Magnolia grandiflora ), London plane ( Platanus × hispanica ), beech ( Fagus sylvatica ) trees, with additional surviving Interwar additions,
10140-442: The garden in the local community. It has significance through the technical excellence of its construction, particularly the stonewalling, and through its design quality. The house has significance as one of only a few buildings attributed to Paul Sorensen. It also has significance for the technical and design quality of its interiors. The studio has significance as an important element in the garden and as an early Australian example of
10270-533: The garden theatre cannot be seen and it is not until the southern end of the terrace is approached that its presence is revealed. The backdrop to this theatre is framed by the reconstructed red sandstone entrance porch from the London Chartered Bank of Australia building, designed and built by Architect J.F.Hilley in George Street Sydney in 1866 and demolished in 1938 to make way for Feltex House,
10400-457: The garden there before (by 1917) setting up his own nursery and garden design business in the Blue Mountains. In 1933 Sorensen met Henri van de Velde through a client R. J. Wilson of "Dean Park". Wilson encouraged van de Velde to buy the Everglades property and engage Sorensen for the design of the garden. At everglades he paid homage to the magnificent views of the Jamison Valley below and to
10530-399: The garden. This work is currently underway. Everglades was acquired by the National Trust in 1962 and immediately began a two-year restoration program under the supervision of Paul Sorensen. As at 3 March 2010, Everglades was significant as a largely intact modernist garden, as an important development in garden design in Australia and as reputedly the most important garden of Paul Sorensen,
10660-452: The gazebos, rose garden and stone seat. The location of the Carrington at virtually the highest point in Katoomba and the sweeping approach, drives and lawns and prominent mature plantings have made the hotel an important landmark in the town from the time it was built. The grounds of the Carrington, particularly the forecourt to Katoomba Street, have significance to the local community as
10790-461: The gentle atmospheric blueness so characteristic of the mountains, was one to stir the imagination of all but the most unromantic. Sorensen decision not to use this view as part of the formal garden but to limit intensive development to the area previously disturbed for the orchard was made very early in the design stage. The fact that this view could not be obtained from any of the formal terraces must have seem strange to many people, but this decision
10920-485: The golf course which plays an important role in Everglades' story was created on Nardin land. This in turn was the context which tempted Georgina Stonier to move to the heartland of the present Everglades, which the percipient Nardins had retained for themselves. Mrs Stonier's shrewd appraisal of the landscape led her to build her large home in 1915-16 in that part of the estate where the van de Veldes erected their house 20 years later and enjoying similar spectacular views to
11050-401: The grounds. Physical evidence of older features such as terracing/ paths, site of the croquet lawn and tennis court still survive and is evident in some of the surface contours, especially in the area of the Lower Terrace. There are also areas of former hard-paved surfaces, kerbing and guttering along the driveway loop. Particularly notable are the four remaining, handsome stone gate posts at
11180-647: The growth and decline of the Blue Mountains as a fashionable tourist resort. The front garden and grounds of the Carrington Hotel are of high significance as essential and integral components of the site, which as a whole is of importance in the cultural history of NSW for its links with key social and historical events and themes. The significance of the site is considerably enhanced by the extent to which its early layout, features, fabric and relationships have been retained (albeit in somewhat poor condition). The site, in fact retains essential evidence of its important late 19th and early 20th century character. This includes
11310-455: The hotel continued to prosper. On 10 March 1898 the mortgage was transferred to Henry Thorpe and Sydney Mansfield Rowell. On 24 July 1899 the property was leased to William Frederick Goyder, son of F. C. Goyder. F. C. Goyder died in 1900 and a year later Arthur Lawrence Peacock became the proprietor on 19 September 1901. The mortgage was foreclosed on 19 September 1901 and ownership passed to Thorpe and Rowell. Arthur Lawrence Peacock (1861–1913)
11440-416: The hotel, and, finding the accommodation insufficient, added 50 more rooms. This addition stands in the courtyard and is joined to the main building. It is higher than the remaining portions of the hotel and adds to the imposing appearance of the pile. A music-room has also been added to the drawing room, and is separated from it by large folding doors. The floor of the music room is of polished tallow-wood, and
11570-529: The hotel. In 1911 Sir James Joynton Smith bought the hotel. From this time major alterations were made to the building. One of these is the famous art nouveau stained glass façade at the front of the hotel. In 1917 Laurel Pardey was playing at the hotel when she was spotted by George Horton. Horton employed both Laurel and her sister Edith Emma Pardey and they became well known as their arrangements were published on piano rolls. In 1927 Sir James Joynton Smith made further major additions which were described in
11700-440: The house has been painted and rainwater gutters and downpipes replaced. Walls have been painted in a colour similar to biscuit, rainwater goods similar to Venetian red, and windows have been painted black. The roof tiles are muntz, but are heavily covered with lichen. Floors are a combination of concrete and timber originally covered with either pale green (ground floor) or mauve (first floor) carpet. Internal walls are plastered, with
11830-677: The influence of the European Modern Architecture Movement. Everglades was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 1 March 2002 having satisfied the following criteria. Leura, New South Wales Leura ( postcode : 2780) is a suburb in the City of Blue Mountains local government area that is located 100 kilometres (62 mi) west of the Sydney central business district in New South Wales , Australia. It
11960-566: The late 19th century, a number of foundries in Naples were licensed to produce casts of ancient statues. One of these was the Fonderia G. Sommer, Napoli, the maker of our new " Boy". It's possible that the stolen boy may have come from the same foundry. Theatre performances have again been held in the garden theatre for some years. The annual January Leura Shakespeare Festival 2015 sold out for all evening performances at Everglades. The Leura Garden Festival
12090-552: The local area, only the Hydro Majestic, Medlow Bath and Caves House, Jenolan Caves are of similar vintage, scale and historical importance but neither have the important civic context of the Carrington or the strong design aesthetic - comprising built and landscape elements - of its garden. The early introduction (1889) of a tennis court as a component of the grounds demonstrates the evolving role of recreation in nineteenth century resorts. The documentary evidence available for
12220-413: The main building have exotic Art Nouveau glazing to their doors. The hotel also retains many interesting pieces of furniture and fittings, including the intriguing "needle" showers dating from c. 1913 . As of 9 December 2013, the physical condition is good. The documentary evidence available for the Carrington Hotel garden fronting Katoomba Street indicates several phases of modification of
12350-413: The most important elements of a garden and were always placed to create a feeling of mystery as to what was behind them, as well as giving the usual feeling of enclosure and shelter. The idea of development over time is a commonly recurring theme in many of his gardens and displayed a profound awareness of the ecological impossibility of fixing the character of a landscape permanently in every detail. The aim
12480-628: The most prominent of Leura's historic homes is Leuralla , the former home of Clive Evatt , an Australian politician, barrister and raconteur. Evatt was the brother of H.V. "Doc" Evatt , a former Chief Justice of New South Wales , Leader of the Australian Labor Party , the third President of the United Nations General Assembly , the first Chairman of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission , and
12610-423: The new headquarters of Henri's business activities. Carefully taken down, transported to Leura and re-erected as the backdrop to the garden theatre, the archway of the entrance porch was flanked with tall Bhutan cypress (Cupressus torulosa) hedges, clipped formally to form the wings of the storage area. Another major terrace approximates the ground floor level of the house. A grass and stone paved courtyard formed by
12740-543: The northern boundary and opening onto the swimming pool terrace this building is clearly linked to the European Modern Movement with echoes of the Bauhaus and Le Corbusier. Casneaux photographs indicate that it was furnished with fine imported furniture. External character: A fine example of the 30s modern style, with endered waves banding the building and roof lights illuminating the squash court. The space occupied by
12870-451: The northern entry on Katoomba Street. The site and foundations of a fifth post (removed from the drive in the 1970s but with fabric still present within the grounds) may survive archaeologically. The driveway was realigned in 1912, and archaeological evidence relevant to that alteration may also be present. Landscape archaeology may also be expected to be able to clarify matters such as the presence and extent of sub-surface features such as
13000-421: The overall layout, sandstone walling and gateposts, terracing, remnant garden edging and bollards, established by 1911-13 and retaining aspects of the earlier garden including 1890s-early 1900s mature plantings of Araucaria bidwilli, Pinus radiata, a Magnolia grandiflora, the plane and beech tree. Additional elements-gazebos, the stone seat and rose garden were added by the 1920s. The extensive documentary records of
13130-733: The owner of the Oxford Hotel in King Street which was a large Victorian establishment (since demolished). Tenders were called later in 1882 by Kirkpatrick for additions to the hotel, possibly the stone wing. On 24 April 1883 Rowell purchased Lots 1 & 2 of Section 2 of Deposited Plan 292 from Frederick Clissold. In 1884 the Great Western Hotel is described as accommodating seventy to eighty persons with nearly sixty rooms. Rowell died in 1885. On 9 September 1886 Thomas Frederick Thompson and Henry Moses , wine and spirit merchants, exercised Power of Sale under their Mortgage of 1 July 1885 and transferred
13260-426: The process, stockpiling it according to quality and colour and eventually for packing and filling. The walls formed from this stone exhibit an extremely high quality of workmanship. In many places Sorensen left pockets in the walls where he could plant small growing shrubs to soften the walls. The walls formed terraces filled level with soil, stepping down the slope to the lookout point, with the garden continuing down to
13390-644: The property to James Hunt and Henry Thorpe, hotelkeepers. On 6 October 1887 the property was leased to Frederick Charles Goyder (1826–1900) of Katoomba. Goyder was born in 1826 in Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire . In 1856 he married Emily Stredwick in London and shortly after left England and came to Victoria. He was for many years landlord of the Victoria Hotel in Bourke Street. He was also closely connected to
13520-507: The railway line was subdivided and offered for sale. A new railway station was built in 1902. While the early focus of activity had been along the Western Road, with the construction of the Coffee Palace and the railway station, Leura Mall began to dominate. Most of its commercial buildings date from 1900 to the 1920s and today the Mall is the focus of Leura's daily business activity. Leura has
13650-433: The rear of the house to end at the garages which are situated beneath it. To the left of the upper drive huge rocks rise from the soil to form the structure of an alpine garden whilst to the right, beyond the formal lawn and annual beds, stone walls drop the levels down the slope in a series of unseen terraces only hinted at by the tops of mature trees appearing over the walls. Everglades contains many species of trees rare to
13780-459: The region may date back more than 12,000 years. The first Europeans to enter the area, in 1813, was the expedition of Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth. They were followed by the expedition of George Evans in November 1813 and the road-building party of William Cox in the following year. When the western railway line was constructed across the Blue Mountains in 1867–68,
13910-502: The renamed Studio Terrace and exhibitions were held there as well as in the house. Sorensen was re-employed in 1974-5 for creation of the new azalea garden, but the property went into increasing debt. Attempts to find suitable tenants were unsuccessful, as were attempts to have the Government take it over. From 1981-87 Blue Mountains City Council leased the property, re-employing Sorensen to replant and thin out other areas. Council established
14040-558: The run-down Imperial Arcade Hotel, renamed the Arcadia, between Pitt and Castlereagh streets and turned it into a good residential establishment. He continued to acquire properties and in the Blue Mountains as well as buying the Carrington Hotel he also bought the Imperial Hotel at Mount Victoria and leased the Hydro Majestic. He loved motor cars and owned many including a Pierce Arrow, Bentley, Cadillac, Rolls-Royce and Lasalle, and invested in
14170-475: The softer stone the so-called ironstone is exposed on cliff faces in quite incredible forms ranging from flat stones through curves to tubes. The soils formed from this parent material are very sandy, lacking in nutrients and full of the harder ironstone fragments. Sorensen turned this physical character of the soil into an advantage by hand-digging the whole of the cultivated area to the depth of 600–900 millimetres (24–35 in) and removing all ironstone found in
14300-521: The south and Gordon Falls park, which offer panoramic views of the Jamison Valley , and Leura Cascades in the southwest. There is a network of tracks, part of the Prince Henry walk that go from Wentworth Falls to Echo Point , taking in many attractions along the way, including in the Leura area, the Pool of Siloam, Elysian Lookout, Olympian Lookout, Leura Cascades, Leura Falls, Jamison Lookout, Linda Falls and
14430-486: The south. The Everglades was, moreover, given its name by Georgina Stonier and it was she who first manipulated its environment, cleared some of the bush, planted exotics and fruit trees, creating terraces and a driveway supported by low stone walls. Henry and Una van de Velde did not acquire an empty canvas in 1933. The decisions which created the present house and garden were in debt to Captain Reynolds, Ernest and Ellen Nardin and Georgina Stonier. Nor were these decisions of
14560-450: The sporting community and owned several racehorses one of whom was the champion called "Sussex". The couple had five sons and one daughter and for 25 years lived in Melbourne . With his hotel and sporting interests Frederick became very prosperous. In 1881 he and his sons decided to sell all their Melbourne interests and buy a sheep property in the Warrego region of NSW. However this was not
14690-623: The squash court originally was windowless, presenting a plain uninterrupted face to the garden. The windows later cut through the walls is unsympathetic to the building and its era, in particular the upper window, which breaks the ornate, wave banding. The inlaid timber floor survives intact. Originally the building was elegant, simple and functional with the squash court on the ground floor, overlooked by an upper level gymnasium. A small washroom facility served squash court, gym and swimming pool. Presumed to be reinforced concrete, rendered brick work, timber frame. A reinforced concrete cantilever supports
14820-491: The swimming pool (since filled in) were added to the upper terrace. New trees were planted, some, e.g. the Himalayan cedars (Cedrus deodara) placed with respect for the symmetrical nature of the 1911-13 design and others planted seemingly at random. From the 1960s onwards there was a gradual erosion in the level of garden maintenance, resulting in a loss of detail. The introduction of public bus shelters on Katoomba Street in front of
14950-401: The timber pergola, tennis court, garden plantings and garden edges. (excerpt): The completion of the monitoring work yielded some significant archaeological and structural remains, including surfaces relevant to the former tennis court, site drainage systems and other evidence relevant to earlier entrances/ driveways... The results obtained during monitoring indicate that within the grounds of
15080-465: The time was his retention of native species such as banksias and eucalyptus within the garden. As few nurserymen were at that time propagating native species, he tended to draw upon the palette of exotic species with which he had become familiar in Europe, many of them he supplied from his own nursery or imported from around the world for the particular project. Trees and shrubs were always seen by Sorensen as
15210-494: The upper northern slope. Broadly the upper terraces and flanks of the hotel car parking areas are shrubberies and the lower terrace is grassed, with direct stairs connecting to the footpath on Katoomba Street. The power station at the rear of the Carrington Hotel was built in 1910. It provided the first electricity supply not only to the Carrington Hotel but also to Katoomba and other Blue Mountains towns. The building features load bearing brick walls, in two wings, one of which
15340-403: The world to add unexpected interest to the garden. Unfortunately these have been stolen or broken in recent years. On leaving the court via the archway, a stone flagged area is crossed leading to a broad flight of shallow steps descending to the level of the terrace proper, which comprises a large smooth lawn lined with weeping Japanese flowering cherry trees. Originally the canopy of the cherries
15470-405: Was again passed in. The National Trust purchased the property in 1962. During this period of private ownership there was a gradual deterioration of the garden resulting from the lack of an enthusiastic owner/occupier and the loss of Paul Sorensen's services. Everglades was one of the Trust's earliest acquired properties and the first with a garden. Members were invited to visit from 1962. From 1962-70
15600-418: Was approved and implemented, partly imposing inside the Carrington's lower garden and involving its redesign, relocation of the intrusive bus shelters, ramps, paving and widespread replanting. In 2004 Leach's interest was purchased by Michael Brischetto and Mark Jarvis, who announced ambitious new plans for a backpackers' hostel, a large number of bedrooms, new retail facilities and a drive-through bottle shop in
15730-408: Was as owner of Australian felt and Textiles, manufacturers of among other things Feltex Floor covering. As a regular visitor to the mountains he decided in 1932 to purchase Everglades which previously had been an orchard destroyed by a bushfire in 1910. Almost immediately he began discussions with Paul Sorensen regarding the garden he proposed to build. The work was eventually to be extended to include
15860-522: Was built in 1883 by Harry George Rowell, a large hotel owner from Sydney , and was owned by a series of prominent families over the next century. Today it is still operating as a hotel. The original land grant of 20 hectares (50 acres) was made to James Henry Neal on 10 October 1877 under the provisions of the Volunteer Force Regulation Act 1867. On 8 January 1881 the land was transferred to Frederick Clissold of Ashfield , who subdivided
15990-432: Was in line with Sorensen's belief that it was wrong to be able to perceive the total of his design from any point and that element of surprise that would come from arrival at his lookout points would add an incredible quality of delight to the garden. He also realised that the grandeur of the scene was such that it would be out of scale with anything he could construct and that it was possible that any attempt to make this view
16120-491: Was installed. The latter, which remains intact, has a name plate: D.H. Berghouse Ultimo. It is reported to have been brought from Sydney by rail, having previously operated in the Arcadia Hotel. It is constructed of riveted steel plates and features six "spy holes". Various tools for raking etc. remain nearby. The Carrington Hotel is a four-storey architectural conglomeration dating from 1882, with numerous later additions. It
16250-502: Was on a plan of subdivision, dated January–March 1881, for land south of the railway line belonging to Frederick Clissold. On his plan Clissold named a distinctive waterfall Leura Falls. Many theories have been advanced as to the origins of the name of Leura, but the debate has by no means been settled. When the land was offered for sale later in 1881 as the Leura Estate, however, the name was well on its way to general acceptance. Perhaps
16380-503: Was supported on a pergola which continued at least until the 1960s. These trees have been replaced. A further terrace is reached at the level of the lower drive before the formal terraces and exotic plantings merge with the natural bushland. Pathways become more informal as they lead down to the lookout, which gives extensive views over the valley of the Gordon Falls and out in the Jamison Valley . From this point one path leads down past
16510-507: Was the biggest revenue-raiser, bringing around 5000 visitors over a nine-day period. A continuous program of art exhibitions runs from September to May each year and grows in popularity. The Norman Lindsay Gallery , Everglades and Woodford Academy were all represented in the Blue Mountains Winter Magic street festival which attracted over 30,000 people. Everglades is separated from Everglades Avenue (formerly Denison Street) by
16640-609: Was the owner between 1901 and 1911. During this time he carried out several alterations mostly relating to redecoration. The power station at the back of the Carrington Hotel was built in 1910. It provided the first electricity supply not only to the Carrington Hotel but also to Katoomba and other Blue Mountains towns. The octagonal brick chimney remains an important Katoomba landmark. Between 1904 and 1911 Peacock carried out various alterations and additions, mostly redecoration and including services of lavatories, baths and water closets on each floor. In 1908 Edward, Prince of Wales stayed at
16770-406: Was to create a final landscape, which, although having different qualities of beauty at different times in its development period, would achieve a state of ecological balance in which its continuing maintenance would be relatively minimal. This planned continuity of change and development over many years was quite revolutionary when Sorensen began his work and even today is not always accepted. There
16900-440: Was to restore the pub at the driveway's entry on Katoomba Street, which has been generating income for the project for some years now. Inside the hotel, the art nouveau windows to the enclosed verandah have been replicated and the black and white tiled bathrooms - many with original fittings - restored. Uptsairs one large room - the "treasure room" - was used to stockpile any original items - light fittings, clocks, items of furniture,
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