Barwon Grange is an elegant intact brick home dating from Geelong's earliest residential settlement.
It was built in 1855 and reflects the aspirations of middle class businessman Jonathan Porter O'Brien and his family who had emigrated from Liverpool.
The picturesque Gothic style architecture includes steep gables, unusual decorative timber bargeboards and veranda parapet.
The interior contains a fine collection of early Victorian furniture and fittings faithfully accumulated according to an inventory compiled when the house was auctioned in 1856.
The garden complements the house with a Victorian fountain. Lawns sloping down to the Barwon River are planted with species from a mid-19th century plant catalogue.
