Located 15 minutes from the city in Springfield, Carrick hill is a beautifully landscaped and intact house and garden you have to see. Sitting on 40 hectares of land this historic home boasts personality, contains a wonderful collection of art work and vintage items and has amazing views out of every window.
Carrick Hill Garden
This extraordinary home once belonged to Sir Edward and Ursula Haywood, a wealthy married couple that were married in 1935. Ursula's father gave the couple this land as a wedding gift and during their honeymoon in England the couple acquired lots of antiques to decorate their new build, including seventeenth and eighteenth century paneling, fireplaces, doors and a significant staircase that you can't miss. The staircase is so big it was constructed together from 2 different staircases which you can tell if you look at the different detailing. A family friend of the couple, a talented Adelaide architect, designed the home off an original plan but changed it to include the fittings they had purchased from England. You can see the original plan and finished house plan on the walls as you walk down the hallway. Carrick Hill was under construction from 1937-1939 and the couple moved in during the winter of the year it was completed.
Stair Case
The home has been left as if the couple were still living there as much as possible and was filled with stylish, wealthy living including parties, fine food and artists. While walking through it's a comforting experience and on the guided tours you are taken through the home by an experienced volunteer guide who tells you the story of the Haywood's history and about all the amazing art work, statues, furnishings and beautifully arranged flowers that Ursula would hand pick and she would put together in her flower room that had an entrance from the garden.
In what was the garage and the house keepers sitting room is the Carrick hill gift shop and café. The café has amazing views over the garden and landscapes and has an all day menu with wide variety and quality ingredients. The dishes are well presented and can defiantly be enjoyed with a glass of wine.
Carrick Hill Cafe
You can also access and walk around the garden. There is the formal garden that has a wide variety of roses, hedges and plants and an extraordinary view of the house, you can buy a gelato from the café and enjoy it on the lawn. You can also buy a gelato and take the kids for a stroll through the story book trail. The short walk through the Carrick Hill park lands explores some famous children's tales including The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, the hobbit and Charlotte's web.
Carrick hill is open to the public from Wednesday through to Sunday with guided tours at 11.30am and 2.30pm.
