Labassa

In 1890, a grand mansion arose, gazing over Port Philip Bay. This is Labassa. It started as a humble eight-room house called Sylliott Hill. It was built for Judge Richard Billing in 1862. Later, businessman Alexander William Robertson transformed it. Robertson, a co-owner of the famed Cobb & Co., hired architect John A. B. Koch. Koch reimagined Sylliott Hill into a 35-room French Second Empire masterpiece. Robertson, proud of his Canadian heritage, initially named it Ontario. He even installed gates reminiscent of Buckingham Palace. After Robertson’s death, John Boyd Watson II bought the estate in 1904. He renamed it Labassa, a name that echoes through time. Watson, heir to a mining fortune, hosted lavish dinners here. Imagine seventy children celebrating a birthday party within these walls in 1905. Labassa’s story, however, is not just one of opulence. It’s a story of resilience and adaptation. After Watson’s passing, the estate was subdivided. Labassa was converted into apartments, housing people of diverse backgrounds. Louise Lovely, Australia’s first silent film star, graced these halls. Extravagant parties and Red Cross fundraisers filled the mansion with life during wartime. Post-war, it offered refuge to European families. In the 1960s and 70s, artists and bohemians found solace here. Singer-songwriter Hans Poulsen, of “Boom Sha La La Lo” fame, lived in the tower with a pet crow. Comedian Jane Clifton called the servant’s quarters home. Labassa, a silent witness to changing times, eventually fell into disrepair. Thankfully, the National Trust stepped in, purchasing the mansion in 1980. They meticulously restored Labassa to its 1890 splendor, preserving its rich history. The opulent Japanese wallpapers, intricate stained glass, and the rare trompe l’oeil ceiling once again shimmer with life.