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Private tour of Labassa Mansion
- Cultural Life series
Hosted by:
August 29, 2016 @ 12:30 am - 1:30 am
Experiencing the sultry, glamorous world of lady detective Miss Fisher has just become one step closer to reality now that you can join Melbourne Forum members in discovering the secrets of the National Trust's, Labassa Mansion on our very own private tour. Guests are welcome!
Labassa is the most lavish of the few surviving nineteenth century mansions in Melbourne and the magnificently restored interiors of the main rooms impress all visitors.
Originally called ‘Sylliott Hill’, it was renamed ‘Ontario’ in the 1880s, reflecting its new owner Alexander William Robertson’s Canadian heritage. Robertson was a founder of the Cobb and Co. coach company that successfully ran mail services throughout Victoria. He had the mansion redeveloped in the French Second Empire style by commissioning the German born architect, John A. B. Koch, to remodel the house into a thirty-five roomed mansion. The interior features gilt embossed wallpapers, ornate stained glass and a rare trompe l’oeil ceiling. Renamed Labassa in 1904, it was home to Melbourne’s elite, including Hollywood’s first Australian silent film star and other colourful bohemians.
Explore the opulent architectural features of another time and surrounds with us on Sunday 28 August, 2016.