Everglades

Item details

Name of item: Everglades
Other name/s: Everglades Gardens
Type of item: Landscape
Group/Collection: Parks, Gardens and Trees
Category: Garden Residential
Location: Lat: -33.7221471041 Long: 150.3372312570
Primary address: 37 - 49 Everglades Avenue, Leura, NSW 2780
Parish: Jamieson
County: Cook
Local govt. area: Blue Mountains
Local Aboriginal Land Council: Deerubbin
Property description
Lot/Volume CodeLot/Volume NumberSection NumberPlan/Folio CodePlan/Folio Number
LOT1 DP1167262
All addresses
Street AddressSuburb/townLGAParishCountyType
37 - 49 Everglades AvenueLeuraBlue Mountains JamiesonCookPrimary Address
Denison StreetLeuraBlue Mountains JamiesonCookAlternate Address

Owner/s

Organisation NameOwner CategoryDate Ownership Updated
National Trust of Australia (NSW)Community Group 

Statement of significance:

Everglades is significant as a largely intact modernist garden, as an important development in garden design in Australia and as reputedly the most important garden of Paul Sorensen, a notable garden designer, in collaboration with Henri van de Velde the owner. It has significance due to its unusually rich collection of exotic flora. It also has associations with Henri van de Velde, an important businessman of the immediate pre-World War II years. It has significance as an example of a mountain retreat illustrating the way of life of its period. It has significance due to the aesthetic regard held for the garden in the local community. It has significance through the technical excellence of its construction, particularly the stonewalling, and through its design quality. The house has significance as one of only a few buildings attributed to Paul Sorensen. It also has significance for the technical and design quality of its interiors. The studio has significance as an important element in the garden and as an early Australian example of the influence of the European Modern Architecture Movement. (Ratcliffe, 1994: 20; HO 2002)
Date significance updated: 03 Mar 10
Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description

Designer/Maker: Garden Paul Sorensen (in collaboration with Henri van de Velde?); House attributed to Sorensen (HO)
Builder/Maker: Ted Cohen
Construction years: 1915-1938
Physical description: The Garden:
Everglades is separated from Everglades Avenue (formerly Denison Street) by a low stone wall, the house not being visible from the street. The driveway entrance is located at the highest point of the site and was at first something of a problem, owing to the steep fall of the land. Sorensen overcame the difficulty by routing it along the upper level of the land for much of the width of the site before leading it in a series of sweeping curves down through the garden, passing firstly through areas of open lawn and flower beds and then past enormous banks of rhododendrons before sweeping around the rear of the house to end at the garages which are situated beneath it (Read 2021, 10).

To the left of the upper drive huge rocks rise from the soil to form the structure of an alpine garden whilst to the right, beyond the formal lawn and annual beds, stone walls drop the levels down the slope in a series of unseen terraces only hinted at by the tops of mature trees appearing over the walls (Read 2021, 10).

The garden comprises a series of outdoor rooms, separated by terraced level changes rather than hedges or walls. It is a pioneering modernist design (something rare in Australia, compared to Europe). Terraces step down a varied slope, supported by dry stone (sand/ironstone collected on site and or neraby) and by brick walls - which form its most dominant feature (Read 2021, 10).

Elegant decorative wrought iron panels found througout the garden bring the house and garden together. External balustrades have playful geometric zig zag, sunburts and chevron patterns synonymous with Art Deco. The wrought iron work (here) is some of the finest produced in Australia in the 1930s (Chan Shaw 2022, 9).

Each of the terraces has its own character and qualities.

Studio Terrace:
Outstanding among them is the studio terrace. From the studio end of the terrace (originally, a squash court and elevated studio) the vista is over the swimming (plunge) pool to the far end of the terrace where the distant view of the Jamison Valley is framed by a brick pergola (rectangular 'windows' in a frame wall - a device used in modernist English and European houses) (Read 2021, 10) of slender and delicate portions which is made delightful in spring when its wisteria vine blooms.

From the studio viewpoint the garden theatre cannot be seen and it is not until the southern end of the terrace is approached that its presence is revealed. The backdrop to this theatre is framed by the reconstructed red sandstone entrance porch from the London Chartered Bank of Australia building, designed and built by architect J.F.Hilly in George Street Sydney(corner of Margaret St.) in 1866 and demolished in 1938 to make way for (Art Deco / Streamline Moderne style) Feltex House, the new headquarters of van der Velde's business activities. It was carefully taken down, transported to Leura and re-erected as the backdrop to the garden theatre, the archway of the bank's entrance porch flanked with tall Bhutan cypress (Cupressus torulosa) hedges, clipped formally to form the wings of the storage area.

Lilac Terrace:

Cherry Terrace:
Another major terrace approximates the ground floor level of the (1935) house. A grass and stone paved courtyard formed by the angle of the house and matching stuccoed walls is linked to this terrace via an arched opening which gives focus to a large stone urn at the far or northern end of the terrace. Other openings are in this enclosing wall is filled with free form art deco wrought iron grilles also designed by Sorensen. The court was designed as the home for several pieces of classical sculpture, collected by Van de Velde on his travels around the world to add unexpected interest to the garden. Unfortunately these have been stolen or broken in recent years.

On leaving the court via the archway, a stone flagged area is crossed, leading to a broad flight of shallow steps descending to the level of the Cherry Terrace proper, which comprises a large smooth lawn lined with weeping Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus x serrulata cv.) trees. Originally the canopy of the cherries was supported on a pergola which continued at least until the 1960s. These trees have been replaced in the 2000s, due to aging and their poor condition.

Lower Terrace:
A further terrace is reached at the level of the lower drive before the formal terraces and exotic plantings merge with the natural bushland around and below. Paths become more informal as they lead down to the (lower, valley) lookout, which (has an Art Deco style steel balustrade and) gives extensive views over the valley of the Gordon Falls and out in the Jamison Valley.

The site's spectacular Jamison Valley views are deliberately hidden from most of the garden, its dramatic impact revealed fully only from the house and a dramatic 'Zig-Zag' lookout (on rock slabs, edged with serpentine stone walls and Art Deco style steel railing fences) on the path to the Lower Garden.

From this point one (crazy paved, stone) path leads downslope past a fern-covered cliff face rich in ironstone to end at the Grotto Pool, which fits so perfectly into its setting that is difficult to believe that it is not a natural feature retained in the garden by Sorensen. The pool is fed by a waterfall, which tumbles over the cliff, its watercourse having traversed the full southern side of the property (through a 'stream garden', a grassed glade with central stone-edged stream, scattered shrub and tree plantings and stone-wall-edged beds. The other path from the lookout leads through bushland to a simple (, wide) timber bridge, which spans the watercourse immediately above the falls and provides another view of the Grotto pool (ibid, 2021).

As the path is followed from the bridge, the character of the garden changes once more to the gentle slopes, well grassed and dominated by stands of deciduous trees such as maples, poplars and birches before the paths turn back to itself to climb a hill through (dense) drifts of rhododendron and azaleas back to the driveway
(General source for the above: Ratcliffe, 1994; additional descriptive terms noted by Stuart Read).

Plantings:
Everglades garden contains many species of trees rare to the Blue Mountains at the time for, in his search of perfection; Sorensen was to seek plants from a large number of nurseries. Many of the plants were imported specifically for Everglades, some trees as far afield as Holland but many more from Duncan and Davies nursery in New Zealand. Other plants came from Victoria, in particular from Nobelius Nursery (Emerald) and Remington's Nursery.

The Upper Garden is chiefly exotic, with deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs. Mass plantings of rhododendrons, azaleas and Japanese maples colour well in autumn. Exceptions to this exotic theme are some giant old man banksias (B.serrata) and spectacular scribbly gums, retained at Sorensen's behest (Read 2021, 10).

Among more unusual trees at Everglades on the lower woodland slope include the Chinese wonder tree (Idesia polycarpa) on the slope below the Azalea drift (Stuart Read, visit, 16/3/2020).

In the lower garden, mostly native plants are used (or have been retained), including rare mountain devils (Lambertia formosa)(Read 2021).

The House:
A stylish Art Deco style weekend retreat, blending different styles. The modernist exterior has Mediterranean references with its rendered walls and arches. The streamlined curved bay window at the rear of the house hints at the stylistic inspiration of the Art Deco interior (Chan Shaw 2022, 8).

The house is of masonry construction, built on three floors incorporating a basement, ground and first floors. It sits on a site sloping quite steeply to the southwest, allowing only half the general floor area in the basement, while part of the first floor is attic space. The roof is terra cotta tile and the walls are cavity brick finished in a Mediterranean style stucco; windows are steel framed except for those enclosing Bedroom G.3 (Murphy 1998)

The exterior has been painted and rainwater gutters and downpipes replaced. Walls have been painted in a colour similar to biscuit, rainwater goods similar to Venetian red, and windows have been painted black. The roof tiles are muntz, but are heavily covered with lichen (Murphy 1998)

Floors are a combination of concrete and timber originally covered with either pale green (ground floor) or mauve (first floor) carpet. Internal walls are plastered, with a flat finish in utilitarian rooms and a textured finish in the others. Ceilings are plastered or rendered and exhibit a hierarchy of embellishment of the plaster cornices, from nothing or a small cove in halls and bathrooms to elaborate Art Deco treatment in the living and bedrooms (Murphy 1998)

Most rooms retain the carpet, which is in relatively good condition. Where this has been removed the boards have been painted with a gloss finish jade green paint. The bathrooms are highly intact and are a particular feature of the house with their generous layout and unusual decor (Murphy 1998)

Other significant details of the exterior and interiors of the building have been noted in tables Appendix 2-Exterior Fabric Survey and Appendix 3 Interior Fabric Survey (Murphy 1998)

The house's centerpiece is a curved concrete staircase winding from the basement to the first floor. It features a striking Art Deco wrought iron balustrade made up of sinuous beckoning tendrils (Chan Shaw 2022, 8).

The flamboyant his and hers bathrooms have all the hallmarks of Art Deco with a touch of Hollywood. Mrs Una Van der Velde's bathroom is pure geometry. A deep octagonal bath sits in its centre. Muthcial beasts act as water spouts, and mottled cream tiles give it a warm golden glow. The extravagance of the design and sheer scale of the bath contrasts with the understaned modernism of the rest of the house. In the ground floor bathroom, which was Henri's domain, rich vermillion tiles are a spectacular counterpoint to the black fittings (Chan Shaw 2022, 9).

A large mural by sculptor Otto Steen adorns the dining room and depicts a humourous take on gathering food. Steen, who also designed sculptures an dreleives throughout the gardens, was an important figure in Australian Art Deco design. He assisted sculptor Rayner Hoff on the masterpiece Anzac Memorial (1934) and created reliefs for Sydney Art Deco landmark, the AWA Building (1937)(Chan Shaw 2022, 9).

Paul Sorensen also designed original, built-in functional furniture, the clever designs concealing cupboards, shelves, radios and lights. Harold Cazneaux photographs published in 'The Home' in 12/1936 and 'Australian Home Beautiful' in 4/1938 along with original manufacturer's drawings, give clues as to the look and style of the original furniture. Much of this disappeared in the years following Henri Van der Velde's death in 1947 (Chan Shaw 2022, 9).

Outbuildings:
The Studio:
Located near the front gate, in an elevated position hard against the northern boundary and opening onto the swimming pool terrace this building is clearly linked to the European Modern Movement with echoes of the Bauhaus and Le Corbusier. Casneaux photographs indicate that it was furnished with fine imported furniture.

External character: A fine example of the 30s modern style, with endered waves banding the building and roof lights illuminating the squash court. The space occupied by the squash court originally was windowless, presenting a plain uninterrupted face to the garden. The windows later cut through the walls is unsympathetic to the building and its era, in particular the upper window, which breaks the ornate, wave banding. The inlaid timber floor survives intact. Originally the building was elegant, simple and functional with the squash court on the ground floor, overlooked by an upper level gymnasium. A small washroom facility served squash court, gym and swimming pool.

Structure: Presumed to be reinforced concrete, rendered brick work, timber frame. A reinforced concrete cantilever supports the Gym and provides a structural feature of period interest.

Log Cabin: This is a typical rustic structure common in large gardens throughout history. It is constructed with a standard timber frame overlaid with elaborately hewn planks. It consists of two rooms with a central chimney structure housing fireplace and stove. Its condition is sound. A plan of this building taken from the previous conservation plan by Knox and Tanner is at figure 4.

Brick Shelter: This small building, constructed of brick with a clay shingle roof appears in very early photographs of the garden. Its exact purpose has not been determined but it is a finely detailed structure, which adds to the character of the garden. Its condition is sound and it is presently being used as an information centre for the garden (Ratcliffe 1994)

National trust Magazine NSW November 2008-January 2009:
completion of much needed work at Everglades funded by a $100,000 grant reinstatement of the traditional internal paint scheme, upgrading of pathways and the production of new interpretative material.
Physical condition and/or
Archaeological potential: 		Physical condition is generally good.
On the pool terrace, two Cryptomeria japonica 'Spiralis' are all but dead in the drought (Stuart Read, visit, 16/3/2020).

With it maturing, opening to the public and wavering management and organisational budgets and resources, Everglades' garden character has gone from open, sun-washed (terraces) and 'external' to shady, secluded and 'internal'. Management challenges include tree removals and pruning, reinstating lost artworks, public safety on a tricky site and constant security. A conservation management plan and a 1938 Nora Cooper feature article on it in 'The Australian Home Beautiful' magazine are most useful guides to reinstatement (Read, 2021, 11).
Date condition updated:23 Dec 08
Modifications and dates: Everglades was acquired by the National Trust in 1962 and immediately began a two-year restoration program under the supervision of Paul Sorensen.

Studio Terrace and Vista c1939 - Note conifer hedge between terrace and house (now overgrown)
The Garden Theatre 1989 - Note conifer ' wings' becoming overgrown
1994 - Everglades House additions and cracking
1994 - Path problems
1994 - Unsympathetic Concrete paving to house entry
(Environment Design Associates 1994)

2008: reinstated traditional internal paint scheme; upgraded paths. Secured federal funding to allow installation of water tank (National Trust, 2008, 11-12).

National Trust Magazine (NSW) November 2008-January 2009: Funding was successfully sought from the commonwelth government, and from donors, to allow for the installation of a water tank, with work to be completed in the 2008-2009 year.

5/2013: bronze statue 'Boy with a thorn in his foot' - an authenticated copy reinstated in the garden (original copy was stoeln in 1983 after some 50 years in the garden (NTA News/Russell, 2013, 6).
Current use: House Museum/Garden, cafe, gallery, tourist destination
Former use: Aboriginal land, timber getting, country estate residence/garden

History

Historical notes: Aboriginal Occupation
Prior to European settlement the Blue Mountains was the home of many autonomous Aboriginal groups who lived and moved around the region. There are six distinct tribal groups who have traditional rights and custodial responsibilities for the indigenous heritage of the region that are: the Darug, the Gandangurra, the Wanaruah, the Wiradjuri, the Darkinjung and the Tharawal.

Evidence of Aboriginal occupation and custodianship of the country within Blue Mountains National Park dates back to possibly 22,000 years B.P ((Stockton and Holland 1974; Williams et. al. 2012). The Blue Mountains contain a large number of significant sites which capture the relationship that Aboriginal people have had with country for thousands of generations.

The rich and varied evidence of traditional occupation of the reserves include archaeological deposits in open sites and rock shelters, stone implements, factory sites for tool production, axe grinding grooves and extensive art-work, including drawn, painted and stencilled images. Tracks and figurative motifs dominate the art sites (NPWS 1998). Motifs include anthropomorphic figures, animals, hand stencils and tracks of birds and kangaroos (NPWS 1998).

Colonial exploration and settlement:
Until 1813 the Blue Mountains proved a restriction to the expansion of settlement in Australia. In that year Gregory Blaxland, William Charles Wentworth and William Lawson made the first successful crossing and opened the vast interior of the country to settlement.

The construction of a road soon followed and in 1863 a railway was built as far as Penrith and extended as far as Mount Victoria by 1868. By the 1870s it had become fashionable for elite families to acquire mountain retreats with magnificent views where in summer the air was considerably cooler than Sydney. Villages such as Leura developed to serve these retreats which over time developed large European gardens.

Everglades:
The Everglades had borne that name for at least a decade before 1933 (when Henry van de Velde acquired it) and had formed part of a more extensive estate in Leura for over half a century, ever since Captain Reynolds took out a series of conditional leases of Crown land in 1880 and 1881. Reynolds' acquisitions included portion 91, where Everglades is situated.

The face of modern south-east Leura was shaped by the activities of Reynolds and his successors. Intensive subdivision of Reynolds' estate by Ernest Nardin, continued by his widow Ellen, created both residential and recrecational possibilities. More people bought and built in south-east Leura and the golf course which plays an important role in Everglades' story was created on Nardin land (Jack, I., in Higham et al, 2009, 5).

This in turn was the context which tempted Georgina Stonier to move to the heartland of the present Everglades, which the percipient Nardins had retained for themselves. Mrs Stonier's shrewd appraisal of the landscape led her to build her large home in 1915-16 in that part of the estate where the van de Veldes erected their house 20 years later and enjoying similar spectacular views to the south. The Everglades was, moreover, given its name by Georgina Stonier and it was she who first manipulated its environment, cleared some of the bush, planted exotics and fruit trees, creating terraces and a driveway supported by low stone walls.

Henry and Una van de Velde did not acquire an empty canvas in 1933. The decisions which created the present house and garden were in debt to Captain Reynolds, Ernest and Ellen Nardin and Georgina Stonier. Nor were these decisions of the 1930s made unaided by van de Velde and Paul Sorensen. The van de Velde connections within the Sydney suburb of Manly and at Leura and the significance of Una van de Velde and her Maitland sisters are important antidotes to the simplistic and rather triumphalist story which centres around the two major male figures (ibid, 6).

Henry van de Velde, born in Belgium in 1875, was a modest but wealthy man of astute business ability with boundless energy and wide interests. His main business activity was as owner of Australian felt and Textiles, manufacturers of among other things Feltex Floor covering. He was also sometime Belgian Vice-Consult in Australia.

Van der Velde struck gold supplying blankets to the army in World War 1. He married Una Maitland. Henri loved golf, boxing and hill climbing. Influenced by neighbouring (garden) Dean Park (1928-29) for his colleague, R.J.Wilson and impressed by its marvellous garden by Paul Sorensen, the two met. Sorensen had also reworked the other neighbouring garden Cheppen (1929) for Ernest Trigg and he designed other Leura gardens (Read, 2021, 10).

As a regular visitor to the mountains Van der Velde decided in 1932 to purchase Everglades which previously had been an orchard destroyed by a bushfire in 1910. Almost immediately he began discussions with Sorensen regarding the garden he proposed to build. The work was eventually to be extended to include the design of the house as well as the garden. Van de Velde spent every weekend tirelessly working in the gardens, frequently extracting labor from his many guests. Sorensen estimated that Van de Velde spent thousands on the development of the Everglades and considered him to be the greatest patron of landscaping gardening that Australia ever had.

Paul Sorensen (1890-1983) commenced landscape training in Copenhagen in 1902 with the final two years of his training under the direction of Lars Nielsen, a leading Danish Horticulturist responsible for the design of much of the open space system of Copenhagen. This period included maintenance work at Villa Hvdore, the summer place of Queen Alexandra of Denmark. In 1914 Sorensen decided to emigrate and left for Australia. He managed to gain a position as gardener at the Carrington Hotel, Katoomba and began remodeling the garden there before (by 1917) setting up his own nursery and garden design business in the Blue Mountains.

In 1933 Sorensen met Henri van de Velde through a client, R.J.Wilson of (directly adjacent garden and house,) 'Dean Park'. Wilson encouraged van de Velde to buy the Everglades property and engage Sorensen for the design of the garden. At Everglades Sorensen paid homage to the magnificent views of the Jamison Valley below and mountains beyond. The terraces he constructed were accordingly aligned with the natural slope and to take advantage of the views in a way, which did not allow the (huge) scale of the scene to overwhelm the garden. He held that the form of the garden was more important than colour and considered that Australian gardens generally were only interested in colour with the result that the form was often neglected. Also unusual for the time was his retention of native species such as banksias and eucalyptus within the garden. As few nurserymen were at that time propagating native species, he tended to draw upon the palette of exotic species with which he had become familiar in Europe, many of the he supplied from his own nursery or imported from around the world for the particular project.

Trees and shrubs were always seen by Sorensen as the most important elements of a garden and always placed to create a feeling of mystery as to what was behind them, as well as giving the usual feeling of enclosure and shelter. The idea of development over time is a commonly recurring theme in many of his gardens and displayed a profound awareness of the ecological impossibility of fixing the character of a landscape permanently in every detail. The aim was to create a final landscape, which, although having different qualities of beauty at different times in its development period, would achieve a state of ecological balance in which its continuing maintenance would be relatively minimal. This planned continuity of change and development over many years was quite revolutionary when Sorensen began his work and even today is not always accepted.

There is little visible evidence of the immense physical difficulties encountered in building the garden. Construction took place before the days of heavy earth moving equipment and consequently all earthworks and the movement of the heavy stone were carried out by manpower alone. Fortunately for Everglades, the Depression was at its height and manpower was readily available albeit unskilled.

Sorensen saw the first task as deciding on the qualities of the site most desirable for retention. Existing trees were marked to be kept, only mishapen or damaged ones were to be removed. Sorensen must have been keenly aware of the opportunities to exploit the dramatic outlook over the Jamison Valley from the lower part of the site. The view of distant cliffs and valley floor carpeted with dense eucalpyt forest, all softened by the gentle atmospheric blueness so characteristic of the mountains, was one to stir the imagination of all but the most unromantic. Sorensen decision not to use this view as part of the formal garden but to limit intensive development to the area previously disturbed for the orchard was made very early in the design stage.

The fact that this view could not be obtained from any of the formal terraces must have seem strange to many people, but this decision was in line with Sorensen's belief that it was wrong to be able to perceive the total of his design from any point and that element of surprise that would come from arrival at his lookout points would add an incredible quality of delight to the garden. He also realised that the grandeur of the scene was such that it would be out of scale with anything he could construct and that it was possible that any attempt to make this view a dominant feature in the formal part of the garden would detract from both the view and the garden.

Apart from the problems of the slope, the other major difficulty encountered was the thinness and rocky nature of the soil. The very factors that made the Blue Mountains such a desirable destination for the holiday maker- the spectacular cliffs and the rugged grandeur of the scenery- created immense problems for the garden builder. The whole area was formed from sandstone, which belongs to the Narabeen group of Triassic sandstones. Much of the stones character comes from it's richness in iron oxide which gives it its rich, dark red or purple coloured narrow bands and layers which, over eons have been warped by geological movement. The iron oxide makes the layers containing it much harder than the surrounding stone so that with erosion of the softer stone the so called ironstone is exposed on cliff faces in quite incredible forms ranging from flat stones through curves to tubes. The soils formed from this parent material are very sandy, lacking in nutrients and full of the harder ironstone fragments.

Sorensen turned this physical character of the soil into an advantage by hand-digging the whole of the cultivated area to the depth of 600-900mm and removing all ironstone found in the process, stockpiling it according to quality and colour and eventually for packing and filling. The walls formed from this stone exhibit an extremely high quality of workmanship. In many places Sorensen left pockets in the walls where he could plant small growing shrubs to soften the walls.
The walls formed terraces filled level with soil, stepping down the slope to the lookout point, with the garden continuing down to the Grotto pool, created by the placing of a 40-ton rock in its present position.

Sorensen was retained to carry out maintenance work on the gardens even when development work was not in hand. Work on the garden continued with an interruption due to the War until 1947 when Henri van de Velde died.

Another gardener who worked at Everglades in the late 1940s was Les Timmings (Innes, 2015, 29).

Henri van der Velde died in 1947 and his widow Una sold the property. It passed through several owners (ibid, 2021, 11).
It first was purchased firstly by Mr.E.E. Bristow, who sold to Mr Harry Pike, a grazier who in turn sold to Swain & Co. Pty Ltd, whose then principal Mr A.N. Swain was a garden lover. After acquiring Swain & Co, Angus and Robertson Booksellers and publishers attempted to dispose of the property, advertising its sale in Britain and Europe, in an attempt to attract a purchaser with sufficient means to maintain the garden. That attempt failed and it was aging offered for auction in Australia, but was again passed in.

During that period of private ownership there was a gradual deterioration of the garden resulting from the lack of an enthusiastic owner/occupier and the loss of Sorensen's services (Ratcliffe, 1994:4).

The National Trust of Australia (NSW) purchased the property in 1962. The Swain family generously assisted the Trust to buy the property (Ellis, 2011, 6). Everglades was one of its earliest acquired properties (from the 1950s: ibid, 2021, 11) and the first property acquired with a garden. Trust members were invited to visit from 1962. From 1962-70 the Trust managed it directly, a period marked by unsuccessful attempts to exploit the place and uneven decline in its condition. In 1963 the Trust requested the Government resume undeveloped lots to the south of Everglades. Approval was given in 1964. The Trust was appointed trustee in 1964.

Until 1981 the Trust endeavoured by various attempts to make the property a financial asset. The squash court became part of the renamed Studio Terrace and exhibitions were held there as well as in the house. The Trust started a program of restoration. Sorensen was re-employed in 1974-5 for creation of the new Azalea Garden and had other involvement, guiding work with his only surviving (and youngest) son, Ib Sorensen (ibid, 2021), but the property went into increasing debt. Attempts to find suitable tenants were unsuccessful, as were attempts to have the Government take it over. From 1981-87 Blue Mountains City Council leased the property, re-employing Sorensen to replant and thin out other areas. Council established a creative arts centre here in 1982 and visitation increased (Higham et al, 2009).

In 1983 after almost 50 years in the garden, a bronze statue 'Boy with a thorn in his foot' was stolen. At the same time, another sculpture of Pan went missing and the Trust has as yet been unable to locate it or find a replacement (Russell, 2013, 6).

Between 1987-98 Everglades was leased to Albech, a development company. Mawland Holdings took over Albech's interest, increased maintenance of the garden and proposed development of a 20 room guesthouse on lot 8. This failed to occur and in 1998 the property returned to the direct control of the Trust. In 2007 a comprehensive tree survey was done. In 2008 access and safety issues were reassessed and above-ground water tanks installed (Higham et al, 2009).

In the 1990s Sorensen's grandson (Ib's son) Barry Sorensen worked in the garden, replacing some plantss that were nearing the end of their lives (ibid, 2021).

For some years the Trust has operated Everglades as a house museum and garden. It (2011) attracts some 30,000 visitors a year who enjoy events ranging from dramatic arts to family fun. In 2010, funding under the federal government's stimulus package allowed the Trust to plan upgrades to improve the visitor experience and to promote the property to a wider audience. Guided by its 2009 conservation management plan, the Trust prepared a brief for an interpretive master plan and new visitors' centre. Lacoste + Stevenson architects were commissioned to design the new centre as a pavilion, with Frost* engaged to develop the interpretive strategy and way-finding signage throughout the garden. The aim was to give visitors a deeper understanding of the unique story of Everglades, while ensuring that designs were sympathetic to the 1930s Modernist concepts expressed in the landscape (Ellis, 2011, 6).

In 2011 the Trust ran a campaign to raise funds to help replace lost bronze sculptures from the garden, including 'Boy with thorn' (aka 'Fedele (Fedelino) or Spinario', a Greco-Roman Hellenistic bronze of a boy withdrawing a thorn from the sole of his foot, photographed by Cazneaux c1936 on the retaining wall by the courtyard at the base of the stairs to, and near, the front door); and 'Statue of the Pan', located on a retaining wall at the foot of the steps to the Studio Terrace. Statuary here ranged from whimsical to classical, much of the latter being Italian replicas acquired by van der Velde during extensive overseas travels, some of which are now missing from the property. 'The Fisherboy' has been relocated from the Studio Terrace to the Dining Room to ensure its safety. Fortunately a bronze sculpture 'Boy and Swan on Dolphin' survives in the courtyard and 'The Wrestler' remains at the top of the steps leading from the Cherry Terrace to the Agapanthus Terrace (NTA, 2011, fundraising letter from Will Holmes a Court to NTA Members).

On 28 July 2012, a function was held to celebrate (re-)installation of an authenticated copy of a bronze statue 'Boy with a thorn in his foot'. This was returned to its place under the Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) in the courtyard where it had been since the 1930s. In 2011 the Trust ran a campaign to raise funds so a new 'Boy' could be cast to replace the artwork. Then news came that an exact replica was about to be auctioned in Melbourne. Fortuitously donations enabled the Trust to bid on and gain it. The 'Boy' or 'Il Spinario' is a bronze cast from a 1st century BC statue now in the Palazzo dei Conservatori in Rome. The original was given to the city of Rome by Pope Sixtus IV in the 12th century and stood for centuries outside the Lateran Palace. It was taken in the Napoleonic Wars, and triumphantly paraded into Paris. In 1816 it was repatriated to Rome. In the late 19th century, a number of foundries in Naples were licensed to produce casts of ancient statues. One of these was the Fonderia G.Sommer, Napoli, the maker of this new ' Boy'. It's possible that the stolen Everglades boy statue may have come from the same foundry (Russell, 2013, 6).

Extensive upgrades to facilities and grounds in recent years have enabled this property to be a major focus for tourists and the local community. A continuous programme of exhibitions at the gallery and events ranging from cutting-edge theatre (an annual Shakespeare Festival) to major family events, to home-cooked meals and invitations to picnic and wander in the grounds continue to attract over 30,000 visitors a year to Everglades. It is a highlight of the annual Leura Garden Festival each spring (Silink & Hayes, 2014).

Theatre performances have again been held in the garden theatre for some years. The annual January Leura Shakespeare Festival 2015 sold out for all evening performances at Everglades. The Leura Garden Festival was the biggest revenue-raiser, bringing around 5000 visitors over a nine day period. A continuous program of art exhibitions runs from September to May each year and grows in popularity. Art sales are increasing and the gallery is booked out until 2018. The Norman Lindsay Gallery, Everglades and Woodford Academy were all represented in the Blue Mountains Winter Magic street festival which attracted over 30,000 people (NTA, 2015, 4).

In 2018 Everglades achieved a $53k operating surplus as 6387 visitors enjoyed hte property. The Friends of Everglades raised an additional $8k from food and beverage (NTA (NSW) annual report, in NTA (NSW) magazine, 10/2018, 13).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)New South Wales themeLocal theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures. Gardens-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures. Other open space-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures. Changing the environment-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures. Cultural: Cliffs and escarpments influencing human settlement-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures. Cultural: Mountains and peaks providing landmarks for humans-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings Sydney and Australian Landmark-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings Landscapes and parklands of distinctive styles-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings Gardens demonstrating the travels and sojurns of a gardener-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings Gardens and landscapes reminiscent of an 'old country'-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings Landscapes demonstrating styles in landscape design-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities. Holidaying in shacks, huts and cabins-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities. Housing for industrial managers and owners-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities. Country Villa-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities. Building for seclusion-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities. gentlemen's residences-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities. inter-war residence-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Changing land uses - from suburban lots to public gardens-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Changing land uses - from rural to tourist-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Changing land uses - from rural to suburban-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Sub-division of large estates-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages 21st century Suburban Developments-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages Creating landmark structures and places in regional settings-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities. Architectural styles and periods - 20th century Art Deco/Jazz Age-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities. Adaptation of overseas design for local use-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities. Architectural styles and periods - Interwar Art Deco-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities. Architectural styles and periods - 20th century Modern Movement-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities. Architectural styles and periods - Interwar Modernist-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities. Applying architectural design to industrial structures-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities. Architectural styles and periods - Interwar Mediterranean-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions. Ways of life 1900-1950-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions. Ways of life 1950-2000-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions. Holidaying in hill stations and mountain retreats-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation musical gatherings-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation Gathering at landmark places to socialise-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation Gardening-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation Activities associated with relaxation and recreation-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Sport-Activities associated with organised recreational and health promotional activities Private sporting facilities-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Sport-Activities associated with organised recreational and health promotional activities squash-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups Associations with Les Timmings, Gardener-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups Associations with Una van der Velde, gentlewoman-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups Associations with A.N. Swain, industrialist, garden lover-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups Associations with Paul Sorensen, landscape architect-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups Associations with Ib Sorensen, nuseryman and horticulturist-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups Associations with Henry Van der Velde, industrialist-

Assessment of significance

SHR Criteria a)
[Historical significance] 		Everglades is of historic value as an largely intact modernist garden, reputedly an example of the earlier work of Paul Sorensen, one of the most accomplished landscape/garden designers in Australia in the period 1920-1970, in collaboration with Henri ven de Velde the owner. It also has associations with Henri van de Velde, an important businessman of the immediate pre-war years. It has significance as an example of a mountain retreat illustrating the way of life of its period. (National Trust 1993)
SHR Criteria b)
[Associative significance] 		Everglades has associations with Henri van der Velde, an important businessman of the immediate pre-war years, and Paul Sorenson, notable garden designer and contractor active mainly in NSW.
SHR Criteria c)
[Aesthetic significance] 		The setting is mainly natural with surrounding exotic trees evident to the north of the garden. The design qualities of Everglades are of a very high order: the garden is structured to provide a diverse range of spaces, each with a different character, with the unifying theme of the ironstone walls. Near the house the spaces are structured into a series of formal terraces with statuary and other ornaments, while areas of the garden that adjoin the bushland have a more natural feel. The unusual richness and design excellence of its landscape features such as the use of local ironstone for retaining walls, the incorporation of natural rock formations and indigenous trees, the carefully arranged planting schemes, the use of ornaments such as vases, urns, statues and fountains, and the skilful borrowing of natural scenery all give it major aesthetic significance. So too does the architectural design and interation of the residence, studio, garden theatre, water features and decorative iron grilles. (National Trust 1993)
SHR Criteria d)
[Social significance] 		Everglades has social value for its possible role in initiating what has become the Leura Gardens Festival, and in influencing the development of high- quality cool-climate gardens in the upper Blue Mountains. (National Trust 1993)

It also has social value for its status as a much opened and visited private garden, known to the public and visited since publicity and occasional open days in the 1930s, and particularly since the 1960s when the National Trust took over the property and opened it to the public full-time.
SHR Criteria e)
[Research potential] 		Everglades presents the potential to yield information about the transmission, implementation and dispersal of ideas of the modern movement in relation to both house and garden design, as practised in Europe in the early twentieth century, into Australia.

It also presents the potential to yield information on the range of skills and relative contibution of Henri van der Velde, Paul Sorensen and others to a complex, layered place, designed and constructed to high standards of quality, and subject to varying degrees of maintenance and neglect over time.
SHR Criteria f)
[Rarity] 		The house has significance as one of only few buildings attributed to have been designed by Paul Sorensen. It has significance also for the technical design quality of its interiors. (National Trust 1993)

The garden has significance as a rare, large, elaborate and relatively intact modernist garden design in NSW, reflecting European tastes and developments of the period.
SHR Criteria g)
[Representativeness] 		Everglades is representative of a mountain retreat of high design quality illustrating the way of life of its period.

It is also representative of a large and elaborate modernist garden design, with building structures of a functionalist style.
Integrity/Intactness: While the garden was neglected approximately 1947 (Van der Velde's death) until 1962 when bought by the National Trust, and subject to varying degrees of maintenance during that period and since, it retains its overall layout, major design features such as driveways, paths, terrace walls and steps, major built structures, and major plantings.

Funding and standards of maintenance have never equalled those pre-1947, however the National Trust has reversed this trend in recent years, implementing a program of staged garden and structural repair works, to conserve, repair and reinstate important features.

Due to the dynamic nature of gardens, and changing levels of shade and moisture under maturing tree cover, ground level plantings have changed since the initial design. Further tree and shrub pruning work is required in terms of removing risks to visitors and structures, removing dead wood, and reinstating views of significance.

A lack of funds has to date not enabled the Trust to repair the pump on the grotto pool, although this is proposed.

Further research work is required to clarify the roles and contribution made to the place by Henri van der Velde and Paul Sorenson, to identify the changes made to the garden post 1947 (cf those made pre-1947), and clarify the relative significance of each, in order to prioritise conservation and other works required to the garden. This work is currently underway.
Assessment criteria: Items are assessed against the PDF State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

Revise CMP in light of critique of Ratcliffe by J. Leech-Larkins, 2002 (HO); test claim that Eric Apperley designed house

Recommendations

Management CategoryDescriptionDate Updated
Recommended ManagementReview a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) 
Recommended ManagementPrepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines 
Recommended ManagementCarry out interpretation, promotion and/or education 

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of actDescriptionTitleCommentsAction date
57(2)Exemption to allow workStandard Exemptions HERITAGE ACT 1977

ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL

I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977:

revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and

grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A.

This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette.

Dated this 29th day of October 2025
The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC
Minister for Heritage

For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below. 		Nov 7 2025

PDF Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage ListingListing TitleListing NumberGazette DateGazette NumberGazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register 0149801 Mar 02 541450
Local Environmental Plan LA00527 Dec 91   
National Trust of Australia register  3311; 330621 Nov 93   
Royal Australian Institute of Architects register     
Register of the National Estate 300121 Mar 78   

Study details

TitleYearNumberAuthorInspected byGuidelines used
Heritage Parks and Gardens Study1994 National Trust of Australia (NSW) Parks and Gardens Committee  No

References, internet links & images

TypeAuthorYearTitleInternet Links
TourismAttraction Homepage2007Everglades View detail
WrittenBodor, Jessie2022Your Trust in Action
WrittenChan Shaw, Claudia2022A new lease of life View detail
WrittenEllis, Michael2011'Enhancing the unique stories of Everglades'
WrittenEnvironment Design Associates1994Everglades Garden Leura NSW Conservation Policy
WrittenGoad, Philip2002'Modernism' (entry) View detail
WrittenHigham, Anne, Jack, Ian, Morris, Colleen, in association with Rod Howard & Associates2009draft Conservation Management Plan - Everglades 37-49 Everglades Avenue, Leura View detail
WrittenKnox and Tanner Landscape Consultants1987Everglades Conservation Plan
WrittenLow, John1991Pictorial Memories, Blue Mountains
WrittenMurphy, John1998Everglades Van de Velde house Conservation Management Plan
WrittenNational Trust of Australia (NSW)2021"In Review: Conserving Heritage" View detail
WrittenNational Trust of Australia (NSW)2015'Properties and Collections Highlights', in Annual Report 2015
WrittenNational Trust of Australia (NSW)20082008 Annual Review
WrittenNational Trust of Australia (NSW)2000State Heritage Inventory form
WrittenNational Trust of Australia (NSW)1993National Trust Classification Card
WrittenRatcliffe, Richard2002'Everglades' (entry) View detail
WrittenRatcliffe, Richard1995Everglades Gardens
WrittenRead, Stuart2021Everglades, Leura - a Paul Sorensen masterpiece View detail
WrittenRussell, Judith2013'Boy Returns to Everglades'
WrittenSilink, Richard & Hayes, Gerry2014'Everglades, Leura'
WrittenSprague, George (unpublished typescript) Henri ("Van") Van Velde, 1879-1947
TourismTourism NSW2007Everglades Gardens View detail

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.
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Data source

The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name: Heritage NSW
Database number: 5051254
File number: 09/04287; S90/07445

Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in the State Heritage Inventory is correct. If you find any errors or omissions please send your comments to the Database Manager.

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