The State Dining Room

The Dining Room was part of the original villa built in 1865 for Johann Heussler, and served initially as both Dining Room and Drawing Room, each with its own cast-iron fireplace with tiled surrounds and marble mantle. The magnificent dining suite consists of 34 pieces and was brought to Fernberg from Old Government House in 1910.

The original table was 3.6 metres long but was remade into two half-tables two years after it was purchased because Lord Lamington found it too large when the household dined alone. The table-tops have six loose-leaf sections which are stored in their own custom-built cabinet, made from Australian red cedar in the 1920s. The table has a ratcheted extending mechanism at one end and each half-table has a fifth leg which acts as a centre support.

For formal dinners, the dining table is set with crisply starched linen napery, fine Ainsley bone china, Waterford crystal glasses, silver cutlery, individual cruet sets, candelabra, and arrangements of fresh flowers, with individual menus for guests. 

The table is currently set to recreate a formal dinner hosted by the then Governor, Sir John Lavarack and Lady Lavarack, when Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited in 1954. 

Move through to the Drawing Room.