Elizabeth Bay House — Attraction in Sydney

Beautiful place, but uncomfortable experience with staff.

Elizabeth Bay House is stunning and offering breathtaking harbor views, elegant staircases, and beautifully landscaped gardens. I would 100% recommend visiting for sightseeing and appreciating the architecture. However, if you’re planning to take photos, I would think twice.

I brought PNS camera for personal use, and upon entering, a staff member asked if we were doing professional photography. We clearly stated that we were not and even confirmed whether using a digital camera for personal photos was allowed. She assured us it was fine as long as it wasn’t for professional media or magazines.

About 10 minutes after this conversation, another staff member started following us around the venue. Instead of addressing any concerns directly, they chose to silently watch us, maintaining eye contact and trailing us wherever we went. When we sat down at a table (where seating was allowed), the staff member sat directly opposite us, pretending to use their phone while continuing to stare at us. It felt invasive and unnecessary, especially since we were following all the rules.

The experience worsened when we went to use the toilet before leaving. The staff suddenly approached us and, in a rude tone, told us we were not allowed to change outfits in the toilet—despite us never mentioning anything about changing. When we clarified that we were only using the facilities, the response was dismissive and unprofessional, making us feel unwelcome. We felt disrespectful and left without using toilet.

If there was any actual policy concern, it would have been much more respectful to communicate it clearly rather than silently policing us and making assumptions. It’s disappointing that such a beautiful place was overshadowed by this treatment.

Would I recommend visiting for the views? Yes. But if you’re hoping to take personal photos, be prepared for an...

Built at 'very considerable expense', Elizabeth Bay House was once the finest house in the colony, set within a garden of the most remarkable extravagance and fancy. Yet it tells a familiar Sydney story: of ambition and passion over-stretched, of riches to ruin.

With commanding views over Sydney Harbour, Elizabeth Bay House gleams like a Greek temple. Once surrounded by famous landscaped gardens, it is one of the most splendid private houses ever built in Australia and still arouses our delight and astonishment. Its elegant rooms and fine proportions, sweeping staircase and lavish furnishings reveal the tastes and aspirations of its original owner, Alexander Macleay, after the governor, the most important public official in colonial Sydney. But it was his magnificent gardens which most keenly expressed his tastes and passions, and in the economic downturn of the 1840s pushed him towards ruin. Elizabeth Bay House is an iconic Sydney home, with an iconic Sydney back-story of obsession for property and position stretched beyond means and undone by changing...

Received direct Discrimination from staff on 7.7 2024:

Claiming we got complain about people have to wait for us to take pictures. We are away from the people and well aware of people around us, yes, even when the staff staring at us from the corner; or why not caring the big family with 4 kid. And they were running around the lobby and it is not blocking the way? Because we looked Asian and with the camera?

Saying we over dress up for visiting. What’s wrong with that? Too much to blame lady…

Not allow for light shadow. I’m agree if it’s too much and we would not use it. But after I put the tool away, you would not need to mention it as a topic.

Heritage table at the lobby is fulled with the advertising booklet and papers. But not allow to hold the bag for a second. What’s the standard for protecting the furniture?

What a shame as a colored people and look down to the same people. You are old, but just not appropriate.

All for respect to your 200 years...