It's closing in on its 90th birthday, and arguably our region's grandest manor house may be about to get a new lease of life. There is strong support for it to become the city's latest tourist attraction.

Nestled under the escarpment, to the west of the university, Gleniffer Brae is a glorious reminder of a bygone era, dating back to the 1930s, shortly after the steelworks opened at Port Kembla.

In fact, the home is intimately connected to the city's economic development through its original owner, Sidney Hoskins, who was instrumental in establishing the Illawarra steel industry.

After several ownership changes, in 1978, Wollongong Council took possession of the property and 10 hectares of land, with a sprawling garden and sweeping city views. In 1985, Gleniffer Brae was listed on the National Trust of Australia Register and in 1999 was added to the NSW State Heritage Register. It is now protected under the NSW Heritage Act.

Part of the garden's masterplan

It's in the spotlight right now because, as part of the Wollongong Botanic Garden, its future use is being reviewed as part of a masterplanning process for the gardens.

The Keiraville Resident Action Group (KRAG), in its masterplan submission, has suggested the manor house and its gardens should be opened up to the public and promoted as a "must-see" unique tourist attraction for the city.

"The historic manor house, Gleniffer Brae and Sorensen Gardens, at the highest point of the garden, should be a must-see for visitors. Unfortunately, the house is not open to the public, nor is it listed as a tourist attraction as part of the botanic garden," said KRAG's Felix Bronneberg.

He said in the KRAG submission to Council they suggested Council investigate options for opening the front rooms of Gleniffer Brae to the public, showcasing memorabilia about the Hoskins family and the house's architectural features. Also suggested, improved signage and access by installing a disability-compliant path and clear signage form the lower parts of the garden.

Should be 'a tourist highlight'

"There is nothing else in the city of Wollongong comparable to this grand manor house and it deserves to be promoted prominently as a tourist highlight," Felix said.

KRAG's proposal has the backing of the head of Destination Wollongong, Jeremy Wilshire, who said Gleniffer Brae is "a forgotten gem".

"It's our only grand building that should have public access. Let's celebrate that part of our history."

Jeremy said not only did the building deserve to be showcased, he saw potential for the gardens and the amphitheatre to be activated for special outdoor events.

KRAG member, Philip Laird recalls when he attended the ceremony, when then Premier Neville Wran marked the relocation of the Conservatorium of Music to the grand house in 1980.

Con CEO supports more public access

The CEO of the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, Annette Brown, has no problems with the the public having greater access to the property.,

"It's already open for groups. A Japanese student tour group came through only recently," Annette said. "Recently there was a reunion of one of the old SCEGGS classes.

"I'd welcome more access, but this is where children are learning music, so we would need to be respectful of that."

Manor hosted special events

It was once hugely popular for weddings and other significant milestone events.  Philip also enjoyed a memorable 60th birthday at Gleniffer Brae. "It's a truly magnificent building and in any other city it would be a hugely popular attraction for locals and visitors alike," Philip said.

Other members of KRAG shared their excitement about the potential for the property. 

Yvonne Toepfer believes the historic house could become an annex of the planned Museum of People, Country and Industry that is being promoted for the giant area of surplus land within the BlueScope steelworks site.

Council is currently assessing submissions for the Botanic Garden masterplan before reporting back to the community.