Welcome to Rippon Lea House & Gardens

Experience the wonders of Rippon Lea House & Gardens today.

Located only 20 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD, you will find the last of Australia’s grand suburban estates – with a pleasure garden of sweeping lawns, magnificent trees, a tranquil lake, unique fernery, and an orchard with over one hundred varieties of heritage apples and pears. National Heritage listed, a visit to this treasure takes you on a journey back in time and offers a unique glimpse into the lifestyles of the wealthiest Australians of the era.

Come and spend an afternoon meandering through the mansion, relaxing with a book on the lawns, climbing the lookout tower, playing croquet on the Nursery lawn or enjoying a coffee in the Gate House.

Rippon Lea's Winter Renovations & Restorations.

During the quieter months of autumn and winter, Rippon Lea House & Gardens is open from 10am to 4pm, Thursday to Sunday. If you visit us during this time you will notice several exciting restoration projects taking place in the grounds and within the mansion. The Grotto beneath the waterfall has been closed for 25 years but will reopen in spring. The Porte Cochere carriage entrance to the house is also undergoing restoration and several rooms inside the mansion are also receiving welcome restoration works. Your visit to Rippon Lea and National Trust Memberships all assist in making these projects possible. Thank you!

The Eye of the Storm.

Throughout May and the first half of June, the National Trust was pleased to host internationally renowned filmaker, Fred Schepisi and the cast and crew of 'The Eye of the Storm' at Rippon Lea. Several rooms inside the mansion were used as the locations for key scenes in this production. Cast members included Charlotte Rampling, Geoffrey Rush, Helen Morse, Alexandra Schepisi, Judy Davis and an array of talented Australian actors. The production is based on the original novel of the same name by author Patrick White. The generosity of this production has also helped us in achieving internal restoration goals.

Are you interested in Volunteering at Rippon Lea?

We are keen to meet dynamic, positive people who are interested in heritage or tourism and interacting with our visitors. Volunteers at Rippon Lea conduct tours of the mansion, help maintain the gardens, assist in our Gatehouse with admissions or help out on special event days. Does one or more of these areas sound like you? A high focus on customer service and great communication skills are an important part of the Rippon Lea experience! If you would like to find out more about volunteering for Rippon Lea or the National Trust of Australia (Vic), please click here.

More Experiences

Meet Ripplea the Bear and find out all about his adventures right here!

Enjoy Lunching and Listening in the Ballroom or some of our other great events and activities.

Phone our Gatehouse for details about Lunching and listening on (03) 9523 6095.

Go to our Weddings and Corporate events section for details on how you can enjoy your special event at Rippon Lea.

We have an excellent Education program for schools and groups including tours and day programs. Follow the link to download resources. For education bookings only phone: (03) 8663 7261).