Conservation in action: South paddock rear access stairs and pathway project

For over a century, the pathway and stairs connecting Olola Avenue to the south paddock have provided an access route into the Vaucluse House grounds. Today, this entry requires renewal to ensure it remains safe and accessible into the future.

When Vaucluse House and grounds were resumed as a public park in 1910, the managing trust prioritised pedestrian access for visitors arriving via the tram stop on New South Head Road. Constructed around 1916, the pathway from Olola Avenue to the south paddock originally featured sandstone steps, bitumen paths and a timber bridge. In the 1930s, the pathway was upgraded to concrete and the creek was formalised into the sandstone-lined watercourse seen today.