The Hermitage, Vaucluse, Victorian Gothic mansion in Vaucluse, Australia.
The Hermitage is a Victorian Gothic residence sitting elevated above Sydney Harbour. The structure displays multiple roof gables, ornate barge boards along the eaves, and a fortified tower that rises from the hillside on Pennant Avenue.
An earlier building on the site was constructed around 1840 by Alexander Dick. The main house was completed in 1878, though major reconstruction work became necessary after a serious fire struck the property in 1936.
The name reflects the isolated hillside setting that early residents sought. Walking through the space, you can observe how Victorian Gothic design choices shaped everyday colonial living in this elevated part of Sydney.
Access to the property is from Pennant Avenue on the hillside. The site contains both the main house and the earlier structure, so allow time to explore both buildings and observe their architectural differences.
Between 1964 and its return to private residence, Woolworths company operated a staff training center within the property. This period of commercial use represents an overlooked chapter in the building's story.
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