Black Rock House : built for Charles Ebden in 1856.

Four years after the first purchased survey of the district (1852), Charles Ebden bought about 50 hectares of land.· Building of the ·holiday residence extended over the years from 1856 to at least 1858. Many materials were imported · from overseas but the brown sandstone used in the high walls was quarried on the beach at nearby Quiet Cotner. It has not been possible to ascertain the origins of the design of the house or if an architect was involved. Apart from Use by Ebden and his family-wife Tamar, son Charles John and two daughters, the house was· rented for a time to the Governor of Victoria (1857-1863), Sir Henry Barkly. Ebden, · who had been merchant, sheep farmer, pioneer overlander, leading Melbourne' citizen and Victorian Parliamentarian, died in Melbourne during 1867. The ·house remained in the possession 9f the Ebden family until 1910. It was eventually purchased by the Municipality · of Sandringham with assistance. from the Victorian Government in 1974. Black Rock House is believed to have been named after Blackrock, a resort on Dublin. Bay, Eire. 

Visitors will see a number of features which make the house unusual, if not unique.  These include : the double room cellar, high caste-like sandstone walls, the courtyard and enclosed garden, the discovery of original wallpapers, including one of the scenes from Harriet Beecher Stowe's 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'.  The choice of such a paper by Ebden, who came from South Africa, is of considerable historic interest.