Ascot: Racing History, Historic Houses and Parks

Ascot combines a long racing history with examples of historic architecture and parklands offering a variety of opportunities for play and recreation. When planning your trip, you can consider whether you want to focus on discovering local history, spending time in parks, or combining both. These themes can help guide you when looking for a holiday rental in Ascot.

Racing and Local History

The Ascot and Hamilton Heritage Trail explores the origins of the racecourse, significant wartime activities, and the commercial and residential development of Racecourse Road. This also includes the large mansions along the road. The trail therefore brings together the development of a major racing destination and the history of a commercial and residential street.

Eagle Farm Racecourse was established in 1865 and has hosted thoroughbred racing throughout its more than 150-year history. During the Second World War, it became the first US camp established in Australia.

The Thoroughbred Racing Museum displays photographs, paintings, trophies, jockey silks, memorabilia and stories of great racing champions. Visits are by appointment only. If the museum is part of your plans, take this requirement into account when organising your stay.

Houses from Different Eras

Nyrambla in Ascot reflects the suburb’s development in the late 19th century, when large houses were built on the hills. Tattersalls Lodge also tells the story of this period: the building was constructed in the 1890s as accommodation for horse trainers and their families.

Other houses make their own distinctive contributions. Wellington is a timber house designed by James St. Clair Ferguson around 1889 for banker James Congreve. Meerawa and Yearinga form a pair of Art Deco residences built in 1938 that have retained many original features. Chateau Nous, also built in 1938, is considered an example of functionalist architecture. Together, they illustrate different historic building purposes and styles in Ascot without reducing the houses to a single era or form.

Outdoor Play and Views

Ascot Park offers children three playhouses, slides, swings, a climbing net and a water play area. Oriel Park combines a picnic shelter with tables and seating, a toilet block and a fenced playground with play equipment. It also features a stationary steamroller, possibly an Aveling & Porter model from around 1920, which was used in road construction.

Bartley’s Hill Reserve has a different focus: the reserve includes water reservoirs and a lookout and is located on a prominent hill in Ascot. The hill appears to have been used as a public vantage point from at least 1925. This places parks with specific play and picnic facilities alongside a landscape whose history is also connected with the use of the lookout hill. If you plan to use particular park facilities, check the latest information from the local council before your visit.

Whether you want racing history, houses or park facilities to shape your stay is a useful question to consider when choosing accommodation. These examples offer different themes for planning your own trip without prescribing a particular itinerary.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Eight Mile Plains, Birkdale, Redland Bay, Clontarf, Yatala, Robertson, Ipswich, Manly.

For the broader travel overview: Brisbane.