Houses and Holidays

Wave Two: Mansions For Holidays

The heights of Mt. Eliza supported a much different type of housing. Around the home of the first grazier, James Davey, Mt. Eliza became a popular spot for the wealthy of Melbourne. Amongst the oldest of their surviving mansions is Yamala built between 1866 and 1876. John Madden, a promising Melbourne lawyer had married Gertrude, daughter of Francis Stephen, who owned Marathon at Mt. Eliza. Madden and his wife still had a home in St Kilda but used Yamala as a retreat from the city.

23 The Prime Minister's house, Pinehil l', was symbolic of a new type of large seaside property in Frankston: the modern equivalent of Yamala and others of the 19th century.

More and more of Melbourne's prominent families followed the example of the Maddens and buildings were erected for them in Mt. Eliza and on Oliver's Hill. Another much later grouping of quasi-holiday homes for Melbourne's upper crust was inland from the sea and included Westerfield, Cruden Farm (see above).

Amongst the last of this wave of construction was the home of the Australian Prime Minister, Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Bruce Manor [Pinehill]. This was built in 1926 and was designed in association by R. B. Hamilton.