Werribee Mansion and Zoo Tour
By Thelma Mayze
On Sunday, 6th March, members and friends of the TDHS left Traralgon aboard a Hazelwood Coach Lines coach to travel to the Werribee Mansion and Werribee Park Zoo. It was a full coach and included visitors from Heyfield and Mirboo North Historical Societies.
We stopped en-route at the picnic area near Gumbaya Park for morning tea and arrived at the Werribee Mansion at 10:30 a.m.. The grounds had many magnificent trees that we passed on our way to the Mansion. Upon entering the Mansion we experienced the opulence of the 1880s, and learnt the history of Chirnside family through an automated audio headset tour. The 60 room Italianate mansion is Victoria’s largest and most elaborate private residence, built by Thomas and Andrew Chirnside, leaders of the Victorian ‘squattocracy’. It was completed in 1877 and remained within the Chirnside family until 1922.
After seeing the Mansion and Rose Garden we boarded the coach to go to Werribee Open Range Zoo. After lunch we viewed the enclosures by foot before boarding the safari bus, when we saw rhinoceros, hippopotamus, zebra, waterbuck, bison, camels and giraffe, just to name a few. A great day was had by all.
By Thelma Mayze
On Sunday, 6th March, members and friends of the TDHS left Traralgon aboard a Hazelwood Coach Lines coach to travel to the Werribee Mansion and Werribee Park Zoo. It was a full coach and included visitors from Heyfield and Mirboo North Historical Societies.
We stopped en-route at the picnic area near Gumbaya Park for morning tea and arrived at the Werribee Mansion at 10:30 a.m.. The grounds had many magnificent trees that we passed on our way to the Mansion. Upon entering the Mansion we experienced the opulence of the 1880s, and learnt the history of Chirnside family through an automated audio headset tour. The 60 room Italianate mansion is Victoria’s largest and most elaborate private residence, built by Thomas and Andrew Chirnside, leaders of the Victorian ‘squattocracy’. It was completed in 1877 and remained within the Chirnside family until 1922.
After seeing the Mansion and Rose Garden we boarded the coach to go to Werribee Open Range Zoo. After lunch we viewed the enclosures by foot before boarding the safari bus, when we saw rhinoceros, hippopotamus, zebra, waterbuck, bison, camels and giraffe, just to name a few. A great day was had by all.
This article was published in the June 2005 Bulletin
