Varuna, the Writers' House is the large Katoomba home built by the Australian writer Eleanor Dark and her husband, Dr Eric Dark, the late 1930s.
Their son, Michael Dark, gave the house to the NSW government as a retreat for writers in 1989. The house was renovated in 1990 though being heritage-listed, retains much of its pre-modern charm.
Varuna accommodates five writers every week of the year, except for three weeks over Christmas and New Year when it is closed. he house has five bedrooms and associated writing areas (one of which is the garden studio which Eleanor wrote in), three bathrooms and four toilets. There is a large kitchen, dining room and spacious yet cosy living room. Writers love the open fire in the living room, which is used all through winter, though the house is also centrally heated.
Varuna is situated on spacious grounds and is a friendly and relaxed place. One of the great charms of Varuna is that it is a house. Not all rooms are the same. Accommodation is modest, often requiring shared bathroom facilities. Below is a description of the rooms and some facilities. For details of what to expect, routines & conditions of stay at Varuna, click here.
BEDROOMS & WRITING ROOMS
Each guest is provided with a bedroom and a separate writing room (mostly attached to bedrooms). Bedrooms are modestly but comfortably furnished with ample storage space for clothes & belongings, and all bed linen and towels are supplied.
Each bedroom is just a door or two away from a shared bathroom (except the Main bedroom, at left, which was Eleanor & Eric's room, and has its own bathroom).
The writing work spaces each have a large
wooden work table and adjustable office chair, a desk lamp, bookshelves
and a window overlooking the garden.
The bookshelves in each room hold part of the Varuna library, including part of the original Dark family's library, as well a dictionary and a thesaurus. The rooms do not have computers, printers or any other form of writing equipment, but there are plenty of power points for your own equipment. There is also a computer for internet access and a printer in Dr Dark's Study downstairs.
Eleanor Dark's garden studio is for use by the writer who is allocated the small bedroom downstairs known as "the Maid's room". The Studio is a large room separate from the house, and has an outlook across the garden. It holds Eleanor's original writing desk as well as a chair, lamp and books as per the other writing rooms.
Rooms are allocated by Varuna staff on a needs and gender basis primarily; requests for particular rooms can be made but we cannot guarantee fulfilment.
Writers generally meet in the spacious, comfortable living room in the evenings - they may prefer to eat here or in the dining room. The living room has several comfortable sofas and a large library, and a
large open fireplace which is
much-used during winter. The books at Varuna include a contemporary Australian library, a reference collection, much of Eleanor and Eric
Dark's personal library, and a large and eclectic collection of fiction and non-fiction books held throughout the house. There is a small CD player but in keeping with writers' desires for a peaceful retreat, there is no television in the house.
BATHROOMS
Upstairs there is one shared bathroom and one bathroom attached to Eleanor's room, both with baths and separate showers, toilet & basin. Downstairs there is one indoor and one outdoor toilet, and a small bathroom with shower & basin attached to "the Maid's room".
For heritage reasons, the bathrooms have not been renovated and are a bit old-fashioned but functional. The upstairs bathrooms have lovely views across the grounds.
The kitchen is large and well-equipped (including a dishwasher). Writers help themselves to breakfast and lunch and dinner is delivered each evening by our caterer Sheila Atkinson.
The laundry is equipped with a washing machine so writers can do their own laundry as they wish. For more details on catering and what to expect during a residency, see Staying at Varuna.
The house is set in the midst of a large and lovely garden, with a mix of native and introduced species. All the rooms look out on a peaceful scene of the garden, which is maintained by Eleanor Dark's grandson, Rod Dark. The garden has many quiet places to sit, and includes a small pond. Native birds are everywhere; you may notice the nest of the resident bowerbird as you come and go. Click here for a site plan of Varuna.
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