Important date note: Carisbrook Historic House is open on the third weekend of each month, Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Please use the dates below rather than any earlier dates that may have appeared in our calendar or newsletter listings.
If you have ever driven past Carisbrook Historic House on Burns Bay Road and thought, “I really should go in there one day”, this is your sign.
Carisbrook Historic House is one of Lane Cove’s most special heritage places and, for one weekend each month, locals can step inside, explore the house and enjoy Devonshire Tea in the courtyard.
It is a lovely weekend outing, especially if you like your local history served with scones, jam, cream, coffee and cake.
A Rare Chance to Step Inside Local History
Carisbrook Historic House is only open to the public on the third weekend of the month, which makes each open weekend a little bit special.
Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the house and explore how people lived in Lane Cove in the 1880s.
The house was built in the 1880s from locally quarried sandstone and is a reminder of a very different Lane Cove, when the land around the Lane Cove River was still a long way from the busy Sydney we know today.
Set at 334 Burns Bay Road, the house sits overlooking Burns Bay and the Lane Cove River. It is surrounded by gardens, which makes it a peaceful spot to slow down and take in a bit of local history.
Devonshire Tea in the Courtyard
One of the loveliest reasons to visit is the Devonshire Tea.
Traditional Devonshire Teas are served in the garden courtyard, with scones, jam and cream. Coffee and cakes are also available.
It is the sort of local outing that works for so many different people. Take visiting relatives, meet a friend for something a bit different, bring kids who are interested in history or pop in yourself if you have always meant to see what is behind the gates.
There is something very Lane Cove about being able to sit in the courtyard of an 1880s sandstone house, enjoy a cuppa and remember that our suburb has layers of stories sitting right in front of us.
Why Carisbrook Matters
Carisbrook Historic House is owned by Lane Cove Council and curated by Lane Cove Historical Society Inc.
That partnership is part of what makes it such an important community resource. It is not just a building that has been preserved. It is a place where local history is collected, shared and kept alive by people who care deeply about Lane Cove’s past.
Lane Cove Council recently completed restoration works at Carisbrook House, supported by funding from the NSW Government’s 2025–27 Caring for State Heritage Grant Program.
The project included replacing the northern veranda roof and restoring the historic wrought iron boundary fence, helping preserve the state heritage-listed house museum for future generations.
Over the years, Carisbrook has been connected with Lane Cove Historical Society talks, local history prizes, open days, heritage events, poetry nights, live music and community history projects.
ITC has previously written about the Lane Cove Men’s Shed restoring a sulky for Carisbrook, a perfect example of how this historic house continues to bring together different parts of the community.
Carisbrook is the kind of place that could easily be overlooked if you are rushing past on Burns Bay Road. But once you stop and go inside, it becomes very clear why it is worth protecting, visiting and supporting.
Upcoming 2026 Open Weekends
Carisbrook Historic House is open on the third weekend of the month, Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The remaining 2026 open weekends are:
- Saturday 20 June and Sunday 21 June 2026
- Saturday 18 July and Sunday 19 July 2026
- Saturday 15 August and Sunday 16 August 2026
- Saturday 19 September and Sunday 20 September 2026
- Saturday 17 October and Sunday 18 October 2026
- Saturday 21 November and Sunday 22 November 2026
Carisbrook is generally open on the third weekend of each month, with exceptions including Christmas week, Good Friday and Anzac Day. Always check directly with Carisbrook before heading over, especially around public holidays.
Visit Carisbrook Historic House
Where: Carisbrook Historic House, 334 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove
When: Third weekend of the month, Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
What: Self-guided house tours, Devonshire Tea, coffee and cakes
Parking: Free parking is available via Waterview Drive
Admission costs: Adults $12, concession $10 and family $30. Prices are listed as current from July 2025.
Devonshire Tea: Devonshire Tea, coffee and cakes are available separately.
Managed by: Carisbrook Historic House is owned by Lane Cove Council and curated by Lane Cove Historical Society Inc.
More information: Visit Carisbrook Historic House.
And if you have never been, put one of the third weekends in your diary. This is one of those Lane Cove treasures that is very easy to mean to visit “one day”. Make this the month you finally do.
