Grossmann House

Grossmann House offers a close look at Maitland’s Victorian-era history inside a carefully restored heritage home on Wonnarua land. Built in 1870–71 for merchant Isaac Beckett, the house reflects the prosperity of Maitland when the town was the commercial centre of the Hunter Region. Its rooms retain period details including gas lighting, Victorian wallpaper, bell pulls and a butler’s pantry, while displays explore local life and industry in the 19th century.

The building also has a strong connection to education. From 1894 to 1963, it housed Maitland Girls High School, one of the first four public high schools established in New South Wales. Grossmann House adjoins Brough House, which was built as a mirror image by Beckett’s business partner, Samuel Owen. The two residences were designed with their main entrances on opposite sides to provide privacy for the families, although they shared a laundry. Visitors can hear former students’ stories through the venue’s online exhibition.

There is more to explore beyond the interiors. The surrounding grounds include a 50-year-old heritage rose garden, which is at its best in spring and early summer, and provide seating where home-made refreshments are available. A visit can also include neighbouring Brough House, with its heritage Fibre Makers’ Space, working heritage looms and exhibits from the Maitland Regional Museum and the Museum of History & Clothing. Bespoke items made onsite may also be available to purchase.

Grossmann House suits visitors interested in architecture, local history, textiles and heritage gardens, as well as families wanting to show children what life was like in 19th-century Maitland. Guided tours, group bookings, volunteers and school education programs are available. Allow at least an hour for a visit. The house is open on the second Sunday of each month, with a morning and afternoon session, and is closed in January. Maitland train station is about a five-minute walk away, and on-street parking is available on Church Street. The ground floor is wheelchair accessible, with a virtual tour of the upstairs rooms available downstairs. Assistance animals are welcome, but other pets cannot be accommodated.