Aperitif: The Lost Garden Of Elizabeth Bay House
Title: Elizabeth Bay House Gardens (Remnants).
Status: Open To The Public. (please observe the privacy of the apartments adjacent)
Distance: 7 Minutes Walk.
Location: Onslow Avenue, near 'Eltham'.
Cost: Free.
This watercolour by Kings Cross artist Tony Johansen depicts a secret known only to
locals. These stairs were made in 1835 by Alexander Macleay, the builder of the nearby Elizabeth Bay House, an exquisite Georgian mansion now open to the public as a museum. On every tourist map, EBH is justly famous, and well worth a visit.
Originally, EBH was set among 54 acres of beautiful gardens. Macleay was a
naturalist of distinction. I can recommend visiting the Macleay Museum at Sydney University to see some of his collections of birds and insects. His gardens were a Botanic wonder of his day, and most people assume that the little park with fish ponds and bridge opposite EBH are the remains of the garden. Not true. That park was made some time in the 50's or 60's and is on the site of the original garden party lawn at the edge of which was a long wall. It no longer exists there.
Closer to Greenknowe Avenue, along Onslow Avenue can be found an old building called 'Eltham'. Just
beside it is a narrow set of concrete stairs. Most people assume they are the private walkway to the back of Eltham. In fact they are a public walkway that takes you down a most unpromising little track (in the photo) that leads to the beautiful stairs in the watercolour. Beside the stairs is a Grotto also made by Macleay in 1835, and the last remnants of the original EBH stone wall.
A modern garden retaining wall can also be found here that has used other stone blocks from the original garden, so among its rough construction can be found worn blocks that have the remains of carved betails.
Sadly, another remnant, a bridge over a moat survived until the 1960's but was destroyed to make the
giant apartment block to be seen immediately behind the grotto. Luckily these little pieces remain of a former glory, ancient treasures in a secret corner of an otherwise busy and uncaring city
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