Hillview, Sutton Forest

Land grants and Richardson ownership In 1819 Governor Macquarie commissioned Dr. Charles Throsby to build the first road (Old South Road - now the Illawarra Highway) through the Southern Highlands district and land grants were made to encourage settlement. Early settlers included Benjamin Crew, Charles Wright and John Larkin (or Larkham) who each received 60 acres in 1822. Their grants of neighbouring lands at Sutton Forest were later to become the property of the Queen and the site of the Governor of New South Wales' country residence. So well did Richardson prosper that he retired from his firm in 1875 and took up residence at Prospect. By then the district had become a tourist destination because the Great Southern Railway from 1867 brought visitors attracted by the healthy climate of the highlands. Moss Vale grew into a busy town around its railway station (first called Sutton Forest North). A plaque mounted on a stone near the driveway "turn" to the house records this involvement. The four-roomed Aide-de-Camp (ADC) Quarters was severely damaged by a fallen oak tree in storms early in 2010. The tree has mostly been removed and the building secured and repaired. In 2023 the long-term government leasehold was again put on the market for the first time in 24 years. The following year the leasehold was purchased by The King’s Trust Australia. == Description ==

The residence "Hillview" is located towards the southern portion of its site at the highest point of the rural property. The shrubbery contains other camellia cultivars (formal double pink; and "Roma Risorto" a white double, spotted finely with crimson), Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda), Monterey pines, cypresses and an array of old-fashioned shrubs. The gardens have been replanned, replanted and extended by Klein and dedicated to the memory of his mother. The property boundaries have remained the same from the early 1870s. Modifications and dates • 1872-5: original "Prospect" house developed along with garden • 1875-1882: • Timber sitting room with attached store room added • Timber Chapel added • Stone single storey extension to kitchen • Timber addition to chapel and store room • Charles Moore supervised laying out of grounds and garden: its main elements were a long serpentine driveway, rose garden and parkland opening out to magnificent views. The carriage way was (in 1882) treeless, defined only by a white post and rail fence • 1884-1885: additions • Dining room • Possibly 3 rooms of the A.D.C. wing • Possibly the housekeeper's building • Possibly the male servants building • Probably the main stairwell, main hall as far as the morning room and store room adjacent to the morning room • The detached toilet behind rooms 19 and 23 • Gatehouse opposite the parsonage • A verandah railing and posts on the A.D.C. Wing • A return verandah to the first dining room • Removal of existing staircase • 1890s: gates and pines along driveway added - Moore is likely to have designed the pine avenue lining the driveway planted by the Earl of Jersey in the 1890s, in order to harmonise with the predominantly (Monterey) pine (Pinus radiata) shelter that was well established on the western side of the garden. • 1893: • workshops • Ladies-in-Waiting wing • 2 additional bedrooms to Ladies-in-Waiting wing • Scullery adjacent to kitchen • Bathroom and laundry behind female servants wing • 1894: • Dining room and verandah • Garage adjacent to stone stables • 1896: • Sitting room extension • Caretaker's accommodation and verandah • Bathrooms adjacent to dining room • Entrance to A.D.C. bathroom • Garage behind stable • 1898: Bathroom to Ladies-in-Waiting wing • 1901: the driveway's avenue of pines were removed in favour of "English" elms (Ulmus procera). At this time the gate house stood at the western side of the entrance, which was marked by iron gates displaying the Royal cipher. • 1902: • Stablemans quarters • Addition to garage • Fruit room • 1899-1924: • Conversion of bedrooms to day use rooms • Conversion of Morning room and store room • 1924-1934: • Conversion of more rooms to other uses • Septic system added (1934) • 1934-1957: • Further rooms converted to other uses • Kitchen gardens added to the north • Gatehouse demolished ( 1938) and the entrance road reformed • Driveway pines replaced by elms • Main ground floor rooms redecorated by Lord Wakehurst. • 1962 - Gardens extended • 1970 - Top of water tower rebuilt with viewing platforms • 1957 - 1985: • Some sections of house painted an off-white colour • Scullery fitted out as coffee bar • 1958+: size of garden was doubled and completely re-landscaped • 1994-2003: garden restoration by the Southern Highlands branch of the Australian Garden History Society Governors associated with Hillview and dates of assuming office • 4/8/1889 - Lord Augustus William Frederick Spencer Loftus, PC, GCB. • 12/12/1885 - Baron Carrington PC, GCMG. • 15/1/1891 - Earl of Jersey PC, GCMG. • 29/5/1893 - Sir Robert William Duff, PC, GCMG. • 22/11/1895 - Viscount Hampden GCMG. • 18/5/1899 - Earl Beauchamp KCMG. • 27/5/1902 - Admiral Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson, GCB. • 28/5/1909 - Baron Chelmsford, GCMG. • 14/3/1913 - Sir Gerald Strickland, GCMG. • 18/2/1918 - Sir Walter Edward Davidson, KCMG.. • 28/2/1924 - Admirl Sir Dudley Rawson Stratford De Chair, KCB, MVO. • 29/5/1930 - Air Vice Marshall Sir Philip Woolcott Game, CBE, KCB, DSO. • 21/2/1935 - Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven, VC, KCMG, CB, DSO afterwards Lord Gowrie, VC, GCMG, CB, DSO. • 6/8/1936 - Admiral Sir David Murray Anderson, KCB, KCMG, MVO. • 8/4/1937 - Baron Wakehurst, KCMG. • 1/8/1946 - General Sir John Northcott, KCMG, KCVO, CB, K St.J. == Heritage listing ==

Hillview has exceptional significance to the people of New South Wales as the former country home of the governors of New South Wales. The house and its assemblage are a rare surviving collection that not only relates to its gubernatorial occupation but also demonstrates ways of life, taste and decoration from the 1880s to the 1950s. It is the most intact government summer residence to survive and provides insights into the lives and lifestyles of the governors not seen at Government House, Sydney. Since Mr Klein's ownership the place has become identified with the local community through charity open days and his hospitality. The residence is a local landmark which is the focus of considerable community interest. It is the only Governor's country residence of the period with intact contents surviving in Australia. The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Hillview has exceptional potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of NSW's cultural history. As the former home of the governors, Hillview has potential to provide information on their way of life and the role of the Governors in NSW's political and social life. Because the house has been unaltered since its Government ownership and has remained static since 1957, it provides insight into the life of the Governors that is unique. The understanding and insights from Hillview differ greatly from those available at Government House Sydney, or Old Government House, Parramatta. Government House provides insights into the official life of the Governors as well as some insights into their family life in the city. Old Government House, which has not been occupied by the Governors for over a century no longer contains any elements of the Governors occupation. In contrast Hillview provides insights into the leisure and family life of the Governors through the house, the grounds, the furnishings and the contents. The contents in particular provide evidence of the activities of the Governors families at Hillview. This is enhanced by the furniture and contents collection which is a unique collection of items all related to the Governors use of the property and the operation of the property. The buildings also provide clear evidence of the change and development of the place, principally between 1882 and 1899 when most of the development of the site took place, but also the smaller changes that have taken place this century. The building fabric is capable of a high level of interpretation and understanding that can provide insights into planning, construction and ways of life. Hillview has research potential through its known and potential archaeological resource. This resource has been clearly established for the occupation of the property following white settlement and has the potential to extend to earlier aboriginal occupation of the site. The gardens retain trees / species believed to date from 1882 as selected by Mr Charles Moore, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. It is only one of two Governors country retreats that have survived in Australia and it is the only one to retain its setting, fitout and furnishings. The complete assembly of buildings, garden and contents makes Hillview an extremely rare place. The connection between these elements and the occupancy of the Governors makes Hillview an exceptional property where the lives of the Governors can be seen and understood outside the formality of Government House, Sydney. Despite the sale of the property in 1957 to Edwin Klein and its subsequent 40 years of non-intervention, the place has retained its appearance and general fitout from the period of the Governors occupation. This allows a rare encapsulated view of the Governors and their occupation of the place. The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales. Hillview demonstrates a way of life that has been lost. The survival of the fitout from the time of eth Governors, demonstrates tastes and fashions over a period of 75 years government occupation. Apart from its connection with the Governors, Hillview is an excellent and intact example of a country house in the Southern Highlands area that has not undergone extensive upgrading or refitting. The place demonstrates Government policy, attitudes and budgetary considerations between 1882 and 1957. This can be seen in the haphazard nature of the alterations and additions and the apparent randomness of maintenance carried out. == See also ==