Visit Vaucluse House
Getting here
By public transport
We are located about 10km east of the Sydney CBD.
Bus & train
The 325 bus from Sydney CBD and Edgecliff station stops outside our gates. The bus trip from Edgecliff station takes about 20 minutes.
You can also take bus 324 (from Sydney CBD or Edgecliff) to Vaucluse shops, and then it’s a 10-minute walk down a signposted public walkway to Vaucluse House.
Routes 324 and 325 operate to and from Barangaroo and Walsh Bay. Buses will operate as normal to and from Hyde Park, then via Druitt Street, Kent Street, Napoleon Street and Hickson Road to Walsh Bay.
These services no longer operate to St James, Martin Place or Circular Quay. You can change at the corner of Park and Elizabeth streets for buses to Circular Quay, or alight at the corner of Park and George streets for trains at Town Hall.
For further details and to plan your trip, visit: http://mysydney.nsw.gov.au/plan-my-trip
Ferry
From the Watson’s Bay ferry terminal, Vaucluse House is about 7 minutes on the 325 bus, or a 30-minute walk, about 2km along the shoreline via Parsley Bay.
For up-to-date timetables or to find the quickest public transport routes visit the Transport Infoline or call 131500.
By road
Parking
There is free parking in the grounds from 7am to 5pm. See below for drop-off and parking arrangements for people with disabilities.
Cycling
This is a popular area for cyclists, but note that coming from the CBD involves riding up the infamous ‘Heartbreak Hill’ of New South Head Road. We have signposted bike racks in the car park where you can chain your bike.
Hours
House
Open Wednesday to Sunday 10am–4pm
Admission charges apply
Open daily 10am – 4pm during NSW public school holidays
Closed Good Friday & Christmas Day
Gardens
Open daily, 24 hours
Admission free
Tearooms
Open Wednesday to Friday
10am to 4.30pm
NB During NSW school holidays, Tearooms are open every day except Christmas Day.
Open Saturday and Sunday
8am to 4pm
Admission
Adult | $12
Concession | $8
Family* | $30
Members | Free of charge
Children under 5 years | Free of charge
Sydney Museums Pass
12 museums and historic houses, 1 pass, great savings. Find out more
Self-guided visits and guided tours
Guided tours
Join one of our fun and friendly guided tours departing from reception every hour, on the hour, from 10am-3pm.
Self-guided tours
Pick up your self-guided audio tour from reception and explore the site at your own pace.
Printed guides
We also provide printed guides to the house in the following languages: English, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Italian, Korean, Japanese and Spanish.
Gold Key Tours
An exclusive personalised tour of Vaucluse House, giving you access to areas of the house and grounds usually off-limits to the public. Available seven days a week. Bookings essential.
Group bookings
We offer a range of tour options for groups of 10 or more and recommend booking in advance. Please visit our Groups page to find out about our various tours and how to book.
School bookings
Vaucluse House runs education programs for primary and secondary students, and other education groups by appointment. Find out more about Education at Vaucluse House.
Vacation care group bookings
Sydney Living Museums offers tailored vacation care programs at a number of our properties, including Vaucluse House. Find out more about what's available for vacation care groups at Vaucluse House.
Accessibility
Mobility
Visitors with limited mobility can be dropped off at the house entrance via the Olola Avenue entrance, but vehicles must be parked in the main carpark. There are car spaces for people with disabilities. Accessible toilets are located behind the stables.
The ground floor of Vaucluse House is accessible by people with wheelchairs, with ramps provided over some raised entrances. The first and second floors can only be accessed by stair (approx 35 stairs) and the top floor by a further 10 stairs. The cellar is down a flight of steep, stone stairs. For visitors who are unable to directly access these areas, folders with captioned images are provided.
Note that due to the uneven ground, much of the gardens can be difficult to access for those with limited mobility.
Tours
We are always happy to try and accommodate individual visitors with specific needs into our regular guided tours, but we are best able to do that if you call ahead to let us know about any particular requirements you have. For groups with specific needs, we can develop customised tours to support those needs. Please call ahead to arrange on +61 2 9388 7922.
Hearing & vision
Information in large-print and braille is available from the reception desk.
Food & drink
Relax in the style and grace of the 1920s in our garden tearooms. Enjoy breakfast, lunch or a decadent high tea Wednesday to Sunday, and every day during NSW school holidays. Our menu features the very best seasonal produce, where possible handpicked from the kitchen gardens on the Vaucluse House estate. The tearooms can also takes group booking and is available for private functions.
Reservations recommended
Bookings & enquiries
T +61 2 9388 8188 (Enquiries & Reservations)
T +61 2 8338 0266 (Private Function Enquiries)
Find out more
E info@pearlcatering.com.au
W www.vauclusehousetearooms.com.au
Please note: the Vaucluse House Tearooms will be temporarily closed for renovations on weekdays between 26 August–30 August and 2 September–6 September.
Venue hire
Set in 10ha of picturesque grounds and gardens that stretch down to the water’s edge but still within easy reach of the CBD, the Vaucluse House estate with its beautiful sandstone mansion and delightful tearooms is the perfect venue for lunches and special events for 20–120 people. Vaucluse House’s scenic setting also makes it a highly desirable location for wedding ceremonies and photography.
Bookings & enquiries
Contact the Venues Team today.
Photo © James Horan for Sydney Living Museums
Other information
Children & families
There’s more than 10 hectares of gardens to explore, from the waterfall in the Southern Paddock to the Beach Paddock in the north. You can say hello to our friendly animals – Caspar and Pan the goats – and to our various chickens and ducks.
There’s plenty to do inside the house as well – 10 children lived here with their parents Sarah and William Wentworth in the 1830s and ’40s. Explore their grand house with its many staircases, visit the nursery to see what toys the Wentworth children would have played with, and hunt for the hidden toilet in each bedroom!
There are baby change facilities in the toilets near the stables.
We offer a range of family friendly tours and activities during school holidays. Find out more on our Things to do at Vaucluse House page.
Shop
There’s something for everyone at our vintage-inspired gift shop, situated opposite the Vaucluse House stables and a great way to finish off a visit to this beautiful property.
We have a huge range of books for sale: for the kids there’s a large selection of children’s titles and for adults, we specialise in garden and lifestyle titles as well as stocking a range of fiction and non-fiction.
There’s also a great selection of souvenirs, ranging from bookmarks to limited edition prints, gardening supplies and a range of specialty giftware.
Things to remember
Inside the house
- All umbrellas and bags over handbag size must be cloaked.
- Strollers are not allowed in the main house, but can be left at reception.
- Professional camera equipment, including tripods, lighting etc, must be left at reception unless you have organised permission beforehand.
In the gardens
- Wear enclosed shoes if you’re keen on exploring the gardens and grounds to their full extent.
- Bring a hat and sunscreen as it’s easy to spend many hours in the gardens – and bring a picnic to enjoy.
Customer Service Charter
Sydney Living Museums cares for 12 of the most important historic houses and museums in NSW on behalf of the people of NSW. Our vision is to create a living future for the past. Our mission is to cherish, protect and share our places and stories.
Please read our Customer Service Charter to learn more about our commitment to providing you with the best possible experience when you visit one of our museums and historic houses.
Photo © Haley Richardson & Stuart Miller for Sydney Living Museums