Bronte House

Bronte House's story begins in 1836 when William Mortimer Lewis, Colonial Architect, bought 42 acres of land at 'Nelson Bay' (the name given to the bay at Bronte Beach). He began building a house but when an economic depression hit in 1843, was forced to sell the property before its completion.

Robert Lowe, an English barrister and later NSW parliamentarian bought the property as a 'country residence' and finished the house in 1845. He and his wife Georgiana were some of the Bronte House's most charismatic inhabitants, despite only being in resident for four years.

The house changed hands quickly over the next couple of years, until the Ebsworth family bought the property in 1882. They were the longest private owners of Bronte House; the family occupying the property over three generations. In 1948 the Ebsworths sold the house and its ground to Waverley Council.

The house is described as a Gothic style cottage with the large manicured garden merging beautifully into the Bronte Gully.

The land was listed on the Australian Heritage Commissions Register of the National Estate in 1978. In 1981 it was made the subject of a permanent Conservation Order under the Heritage Act 1977, and was listed on the State Heritage Register under the Heritage Act 1977 in 1999.

The garden and house is open to the public approximately six times per year, with details appearing on the website and in local media a few weeks prior to the event