“Carthona” - Potts Point - Darling Point - New South Wales.
Carthona is a large Gothic Revival sandstone Mansion at 5 Carthona Avenue, at the eastern tip of Darling Point
It was built between 1841 - 1845 for Sir Thomas Mitchell, the Surveryor General Of New South Wales, & one of the colony's celebrated explorers.
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The name is said to have come from A Gaelic Phrase meaning - The Murmour of the waves, fitting its waterfront position with views across Double Bay towards Point Piper & north toward Manly.
The house has Castelled Parapets, Tall Tudor chimneys, galbled slate roof & pointed Gothic windows. Sir Thomas Mitchell chose the site partly for 2 fresh water streams that ran through the rock. The design closely followed a house on the shores of Englands Lake Windermere. The Architect is attributed to James Hume, though some sources credit George Allen Mansfield
Mitchell first lived at the neighbouring Lindesay while planning & building Carthona. The family moved in in 1845. Soon after settling in Mitchell set out on his fourth expeditoin, searching for an overland route to Port Essington in the present day Northern Territory. His Aboriginal guide Yuranigh lived briefly at Carthona before returning to work as a stockman.
and he sold Lindesay to his friend sir Charles Nickolson
After Sir Thomas Mitchells Died at the house on the 5th October 1855. He left the property to his daughter Alice.
Blanche Mitchell - Youngest Daughter of Sir Thomas Mitchell
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1870's it was leased to Mrs Cooksey as a Girls School.
From the 1860's onwards the propoerty passed through several notable owners, including the Colonial Lawyer Arthur Allens's family, the unrelated Busisnessman James Sutherland Mitchell, & Theatre Entepreneur Harry Rickards.
in 1940 Bushell's Tea bought the property for the tea & coffee merchant Phillip Bushell. The family has held it ever since
The grounds were later subdivided, but the mansion remains one of Darling Points most significant hertiage listed residences.
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