Cliffbrook House (1870-1976)

The first Cliffbrook House in Coogee, located on Beach Street.

The estate was originally granted to a state government surveyor, Lewis Gordon, in 1845. In 1859, It was sold to the businessman and later Mayor of Randwick, John Thompson. At this time, the parcel of land was over 14 acres in size and included Gordon’s Bay. Thompson built the first Cliffbrook mansion in 1873 in the Victorian Italianate style. The main walls were built of solid stone quarried from the site. Large stone stables were erected with four horse stalls, a coach house and harness room.

In 1889, The property changed into George Hill’s hands, who found himself bankrupt by 1899. The Bank of New South Wales subsequently repossessed the property and in 1905 offered Sir Denison Miller, the first govenor of the Commonwealth Bank, the chance to occupy the mansion rent free. Six years later, Miller purchased the estate and later sold the foreshore to 
Randwick Municipal Council. In 1921, he built a second mansion on the site of the old stables, which still stands today. Miller was known as a wonderful entertainer, throwing lavish garden parties for dignitaries in the grounds of his property.

By the mid-1970s the original Cliffbrook mansion had fallen into disrepair. The occupant at the time lived alone in a small portion of the house and the house deteriorated around her. The Randwick & District Historical Society and the National Trust tried to save the building because it contained rich interior artworks, but the restoration required was too costly. In 1976 the mansion was demolished to make way for a new development. Mosaic tiles and nails were salvaged from the site by the Randwick & District Historical Society and are kept in their collection