History

The First Peoples have been passing through the Blue Mountains for thousands of years. In 1813, Blaxland Wentworth and Lawson crossing the Blue Mountains for the first time noted the magnificent view of the Cumberland plain from a high point on the eastern side of our land.

Our main driveway was once part of ‘Cox’s Road’, constructed by convicts in 1814 and the first Australian ‘highway’.

The main house and Chauffeur’s cottage were designed in 1923 by BJ Waterhouse who was also the architect for May Gibb’s ‘Nutcote’ at Neutral Bay.

Originally a cool climate retreat for the extended family of Fairymead sugar mill magnate Horace Edward Broughton Young, the property was later used as a World War II safe-haven and in the 60s and 70s class and boarding rooms for the Blue Mountains Grammar School.

We purchased Silvermere in 1998 from descendants of the Young family and spent two years restoring the house and grounds before opening as a guesthouse in April 2000. In 2006 we completed extensive landscaping under the supervision of well renowned landscape architect Vladimir Sitta.

By staying at Silvermere you are helping to conserve a significant local and Heritage property. Without the funds generated from the guest house it would not be possible to maintain the house and gardens as you see them today.