nsw 4 Dec 2021 - 19 Dec 2021 Come and celebrate with us as we dress Old Government House in Victorian-style splendour to celebrate Christmas! Experience this historic house decked in traditional ornaments, featuring festive Christmas greenery, a walkway adorned with paper snowflakes, and a beautifully decorated tree gracing the stairhall. With the shutters closed to keepmore
nsw 9 Dec 2021 - 17 Dec 2021This special series of alfresco afternoons are available on the following dates: Thursday 9 December, 4pm – 7pm Friday 10 December, 4pm – 7pm Thursday 16 December, 4pm – 7pm Friday 17 December, 4pm – 7pm Alfresco Afternoons at Retford Park are a special way to have pre-Christmas catchmore
nsw 6 Mar 2022Dr Elizabeth Farrelly trained in architecture and philosophy practiced in Auckland, London and Bristol, holds a PhD in urbanism from the University of Sydney, and is an Associate Professor (Practice) at the University of NSW Graduate School of Urbanism. In her recently published book Elizabeth Farrelly brings her unique perspectivemore
nsw 19 Feb 2022Using photographic and archival resources, Yvette Hamilton delves into the history of Alfred Fairfax’s role in the observations of the Transit of Venus at Woodford Academy in 1874. Yvette explores the significance and value of the light-pollution-free ‘dark skies’ of the Blue Mountains region, which links the past to themore
nsw 6 Feb 2022 - 27 Feb 2022Mandy Evans is a visual artist, whose studio and Art Therapy practice are located in Blackheath at the top of Blue Mountains. “The Weather Inside and Outside” will suggest cliff edges, brinks, escarpments and views of mountains and valleys in different types of weather and conditions, such as rain andmore
nsw 2 Apr 2022Over the course of this four hour workshop, Parramatta Art Society member, Brian Richardson, will take you through the stages of creating a still life work of art. Using unique items from the Old Government House collection, a special composition will be arranged for you to capture on your canvasmore
nsw 26 Jan 2022Celebrate Australia Day and spend the day reliving early twentieth century Australia with a visit to Miss Porter’s House, a prominent freestanding Edwardian home built by Herbert Porter and his wife Florence (nee Jolley) that contains a century of household memorabilia including many which reflect the family’s interest in themore
nsw 16 Mar 2022Coty Farquhar, creative director/stylist, and founder of Styling Magazine Australia presents an exclusive full day styling masterclass to be held at stunning Retford Park in Bowral. Under Coty’s expert tutelage, you will learn how to style and create beautiful objects for your home by weaving and constructing using an arraymore
nsw 15 Jan 2022 - 20 Mar 2022Botanicals opens our eyes to beauty and colour – and the wonder of our natural environment. For centuries humans have designed ceramic objects that reflect our love of plants and the natural world. We value this connection by placing these ceramics in our work-a-day world to brighten our lives andmore
nsw 9 Apr 2022 - 24 Apr 2022Come along and create your own shadow portrait in the courtyard of Old Government House. One of the mysteries of the property is the identities of the convicts who built it. While we know some of their names, no portraits or images of them have survived – we have onlymore
nsw 27 Nov 2021 - 19 Dec 2021 For the Christmas period, the downstairs interiors of Retford Park house will be beautifully decorated and styled by Coty Farquhar, creative director/stylist and founder of Styling Magazine Australia. The house is accessible via guided tour on weekends, and as part of our special ‘Alfresco Afternoon’ events between 27 Novembermore
nsw 7 Dec 2021Coty Farquhar, creative director/stylist and founder of Styling Magazine Australia presents an exclusive full day Christmas styling masterclass to be held in the historic home and stunning surrounds of Retford Park in Bowral. This special day starts with a tour of the house that has been decorated by Coty formore
nsw 12 Dec 2021Go back one hundred years and what would children want for Christmas? A doll, a tin toy, a tiny tea set or that once-a-year publication, a Christmas Annual. All of these are on display at Miss Porter’s House Museum together with an extensive collection of Edwardian Christmas postcards Postcards weremore
nsw 4 Jun 2022Copyright Parramatta Clay and Arts Incorporated Come and experience the historic art of clay pipe making with Parramatta Clay and Arts as part of our Making Good: Convict Artisans in Exile exhibition. Many examples of clay smoking pipes have been found in archaeological digs in Parramatta. The pipes weremore
nsw 3 Apr 2022Pack your picnic blanket and basket of goodies and spend quality family time at the home of Australian-born explorer, Hamilton Hume. Take a tour of the homestead and learn about Hume’s exploration of NSW and VIC, say hello to the friendly Clydesdale horses and marvel the vast views of themore
nsw 9 Jan 2022 - 30 Jan 2022Eight Hundred Metres (and Up) is a collaboration of three artists from the Blue Mountains and the Southern Highlands. Over more than two years and working around two lockdowns photographer Tracy Ponich from Katoomba, painter Leanne Booth from Bowral, and metal artist Mark Kelly from Mittagong shared their own regions.more
nsw 22 Apr 2021 - 25 Nov 2021COVID-19 UPDATE: Following NSW Government stay at home orders, this event is not confirmed until restrictions have been lifted. Find out how Governor Brisbane’s star catalogue was created at the Parramatta Observatory over four years by his astronomers Charles Rumker and James Dunlop, using instruments featured in the exhibition.more
nsw 27 Feb 2021 - 28 Nov 2021Enquiring Minds is an exhibition which will delve into the eighteenth and nineteenth century voyages of discovery which combined the exploration of the great southern land with scientific advances in navigation, astronomy, mapping, and botanical collecting.more
nsw 18 Feb 2022Enjoy a summer evening exploring Old Government House. Now the weather is warm it is time to book for our ever-popular ghost night at Old Government House, Parramatta. These tours have run for many years and guests always enjoy the tours. Tour this Georgian house by candlelight. Imagine the peoplemore
nsw 14 Nov 2021*Update* Harper’s in Bloom has been cancelled for 2021. Those who still wish to visit our charming colonial Georgian house, strolling garden, maze and heritage roses are encouraged to book a general admission ticket to make the most of the sensational seasonal blooms on offer. Visitors are welcome tomore
nsw 14 Mar 2021 - 13 Mar 2022 After a winter hiatus, Saumarez Homestead is thrilled to soon throw open the gate, serving Armidale and the local area a mouth-watering selection of up to 30 stalls of fresh produce from local farmers, plant products plus some speciality food producers of the New England and Coffs Coast region.more
