Rupertswood remains as one of the largest houses ever built in Victoria. With 50 rooms inside, only Werribee Mansion is of a comparable scale.
A closer inspection can be obtained by driving around the school student drop-off circuit to give the finder an idea of the scale and size of this magnificent building at S 37 34.385 E144 44.306
In 1853 W.J.T. Clarke was granted 31,000 acres (12,400 ha) in the district. His influence brought the railway to Sunbury in 1859, rather than to Bulla. In 1874 his son, Sir William, benefiting from his father's wealth, built Rupertswood mansion. It was named "Rupertswood" after his eldest son, Rupert.
During the ownership of Sir William Clarke, Rupertswood became one of the principal social centres in Victoria, with hundreds of guests arriving at the estate's private railway platform to attend hunt meets, balls and house parties. Clarke was one of the most prominent people in the colony. He was a member of the Legislative Council and received the colony’s first baronetcy. He was so prominent that he was able to have the Mt Alexander rail line diverted past his property. Hence, the Rupertswood Railway station.
The mansion epitomised the Clarke family's lavish tastes. It featured a ballroom, billiard room, breakfast room and lounge room. In addition, there were two reception rooms, six main bedrooms, nine bathrooms and servants' quarters. There was also a road going through the property for carting produce. Guests could arrive at the mansion via a train as the property had its own railway platform. The estate even included a half battery of horse artillery when Sir William Clarke formed a privately sponsored regiment in 1885. Sir William died in 1897.
The mansion is set amidst extensive gardens on the run chosen for William Clarke Sr. by the Jackson brothers who accompanied George Evans on his search for sheep pasturage in 1836.
Rupert Clarke eventually inherited the property but in 1910 sold it to his brother William Lionel Russell Clarke.
The estate was sold in 1925 to Hugh Victor McKay, a wealthy industrialist and inventor of the Sunshine Harvester. When McKay died in 1926, Rupertswood was bought by pastoralist William Naughton, and then in 1927 by the Salesian Society, which used the mansion and surrounding property as a male boarding school. The school later became co-educational, relocated into separate premises nearby, and is known as Salesian College, Rupertswood.
For some years since 2000 the Brothers moved out and mansion has been renovated and it operated as a reception centre although this has now closed and the building reverted back to school administration.
Enjoy