Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School—Earlsbrae Hall
+ Add to ItineraryDescription
Earlsbrae Hall was built in 1890 for wealthy Melbourne brewer Coiler McCracken. For many years it was also the residence of celebrated Melburnian and Cole's Book Arcade founder EW Cole. It now forms part of Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School, a K-12 school for girls. Known affectionately by students as "the Mansion", the building is notable for its high quality materials and elaborate and well-crafted interior spaces.
What's On
Visitors will be guided in small groups around Earlsbrae Hall, our heritage-listed centrepiece building, once home to prominent Melburnian Edward Cole, owner of the famed Coles Book Arcade in Bourke St. Current Lowther Hall students will explain to small guided groups the architecture of the building, meticulously crafted through the vision of its first owners, the McCracken family (who helped establish the Essendon Football Club) and discuss the use of the building during Cole’s time, as well as the past 105 years of its journey as home to thousands of students at Lowther Hall.
Children's Activities
Our tours are family-friendly, and are conducted by students in Years 8 to 10. As we are a school, our students are the best-placed guides to share information about the building they are very proud of!
Images: (1) Mansion building at dusk. (2) Mansion interior staircase. (3) Mansion interior ceiling. (4) Mansion exterior façade. (5) Mansion stained glass.
Important Details
Tour/event summary information
Sunday 27 July
Tours run every 15 minutes starting at 10am. Last tour departs at 1.45pm
Running for 15 minutes in small groups of 5-10 people
Bookings
No bookings required. Tour group capacity is limited and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
Meeting Point
Meet at the front the Mansion building, accessed via gates B and C at 17 Leslie Road, Essendon.
Accessibility
Partially wheelchair accessible, Accessible parking nearby
Whilst our heritage building does not have an elevator, it is connected at 1st floor level to the building behind that does have an elevator, therefore guests can be escorted via another building, to access the first first of Earlsbrae Hall.
