Inside a 19th century Winchelsea mansion

A sprawling homestead on the banks of the Barwon River is slowing being brought back to life. SEE THE PROGRESS.

On the banks of the Barwon River, a historic Winchelsea property is coming back to life.

One of the first homes built in Western Victoria, Ingleby Homestead and its surrounding buildings are encased in more than 160 years of history.

The Georgian bluestone mansion, built by the affluent Armytage family, hit the market for the first time in decades in 2019.

Ingleby Estate with owner Georgie Thomson. She recently bought the property and is renovating it to reopen to the public.

The property, which has always been in private hands, was bought by Winchelsea local Georgie Thomson before the start of the pandemic.

“I’ve been at the farm next door since 2017, and when Ingleby came up for sale it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to increase the scale of the farm,” Ms Thomson said.

It features six bedrooms, billiards, dining and drawing rooms and a larger network including a coach house, stables, staff and servant’s quarters and a pheasant coop.

While the surrounding land now is part of a working sheep and cattle farm, Georgie and her family have committed to restoring the homestead and gardens to its former glory.

Ingleby Estate with owner Georgie Thomson. She recently bought the property and is renovating it to reopen to the public.

“We have a permit to be a venue for up to 200 people, and accommodation for up to 14 people,” she said.

“The plan is to utilise Ingleby for location shoots, weddings and other events … accommodation will be available once the homestead is restored.”

Ingleby Estate with owner Georgie Thomson. She recently bought the property and is renovating it to reopen to the public.

Ingleby Estate with owner Georgie Thomson. She recently bought the property and is renovating it to reopen to the public.

Earliest records revealed English pastoralist Thomas Armytage – one of the first to follow Batman and Fawkner into the district beyond Port Phillip – stumbled across the land in the 1830s.

But his time at Ingleby was short-lived, the property passing to his brother George after his death from typhoid fever in 1842.

A bluestone cottage on the banks of the Barwon River was built in the 1840s, and the much larger, grander main home was completed in the 1860s.

Ingleby Estate with owner Georgie Thomson. She recently bought the property and is renovating it to reopen to the public.

“They settled Ingleby, which was originally 30,000 acres. Initially they built a cottage down on the river and the homestead was completed in the 1860s,” Ms Thomson said.

“The family left the home in 1911 and leased the property to EH Lascelles until the property was sold out of the Armytage family in 1923.”

George Armytage later built The Hermitage (now part of Geelong Grammar) and owned the stately Como House in South Yarra.

An entire community evolved to take care of the estate and its surrounding farmland.

“I love the dining room because it would have been a hive of activity,” Ms Thomson said.

“Sitting in there lets the mind wander about the dinner parties and the number of people that would have spent time there over the last 160 years.”

Ingleby Estate with owner Georgie Thomson. She recently bought the property and is renovating it to reopen to the public.

And renovation work has already uncovered some of the properties hidden secrets – a rare nineteenth century bluestone reservoir similar to the famed Guilfoyle’s Volcano at the Melbourne Botanic Gardens.

“I literally stumbled across it because it was hidden beneath the trees. A bluestone lined water reservoir,” she said.

“It was possibly used as a pool, if not for irrigation.”

With a mammoth renovation to undertake, Ms Thomson said the grounds had already been extensively cleared.

“It’s challenging because we’re tackling everything one bit at a time,” she said.

Ingleby Estate with owner Georgie Thomson. She recently bought the property and is renovating it to reopen to the public.

The estate was preparing to host its first event, a twilight cocktail party to raise money for the Winchelsea Op-Shop on October 8 from 6.30pm.

Ms Thomson said the party followed in the tradition of earlier balls, fundraisers and garden parties at the estate which raised money for local churches and charities.

“It’s great to reconnect with that history of helping out the community through different fundraisers,” she said.

Tickets are available: trybooking.com/events/landing/950546

Explore other heritage homes around Geelong:

Barwon Park Mansion, Winchelsea

The colossal bluestone mansion built by Thomas Austin celebrated 150 years in 2021.

Embarrassed by having to entertain the then-Duke of Edinburgh at home, Austin built the lavish 42 room mansion, dying six months after it was completed.

Barwon Park mansion, Winchelsea.

His wife Elizabeth, a local philanthropist, lived at the property for a number of years after his death.

It later fell into the hands of the National Trust, which opened up the venue for visitors, photo shoots and weddings.

Barwon Park Mansion

Barwon Park is an authentic bluestone mansion and stables set in a sweeping rural landscape.

Visitors can see the stately home for themselves on Wednesday and Sundays from 1pm-4pm.

The Heights, Newtown

Assembled in Hamburg, Germany, the Heights is the largest prefabricated home in the state.

It was built for businessman Charles Ibbotson and was owned by three generations of the family before being bequeathed to the national trust in 1975.

The Heights Heritage House and Garden, Newtown, Geelong.

Today, it is open to the public and visitors can view its famous gardens, water tower, groom’s cottage and dovecote in their original condition.

Ibbotson’s grandson renovated the house extensively, installing floor to ceiling glazed windows.

The National Trust hosts regular events at the historic location, and is open to the public on Sundays from 1pm-4pm.

Barunah Plains, Hesse

Half an hour from Geelong, Hesse’s Barunah Plains Homestead was designed by Scottish Architects Davidson and Henderston and owned by the Russell Family.

The original home was built in 1866, with later additions in the 1890s and again in 1910.

The pastoralist family at one point employed up to 50 people who lived on and nearby the 24,000ha property.

Barwon Grange.

According to its website, the property’s current owners have undertaken a major renovation in recent years.

Its shearing shed, stables, coach house and cottage are all protected by the National Trust of Australia.

The homestead and surrounds are available for events, weddings and open gardens.

Barwon Grange, Newtown

The only surviving riverfront 1850s villa along the Barwon River was built for merchant and banker Jonathon Porter O’Brien and his wife Ann.

Property. Little River. Mt Rothwell Estate. Old bluestone homestead.

Constructed in a Gothic Revival style, the featured an extensive library, cellar stocked with wine and spirits and a conservatory filled with plants, sculptures and birds.

The Porters only lived in the home for one year, but the home and its gardens and sloping lawns are open to the public on Sunday afternoons.

Originally published as Inside a 19th century Winchelsea mansion