History

The builder of The Westbury, Doctor Edmond Henry Burkitt, was born in the English village of Chartlon, Wiltshire in 1867. The town of Westbury is famous for a chalk figure of a horse cut into a hillside nearby . We can only presume that Burkitt named his new and grand home in the antipodes after his home town.

Burkitt and three brothers migrated to Australia and studied medicine at Sydney University graduating in 1896 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery. Dr Burkitt began practice in Coonamble but arrived in Dubbo in 1901. He completed The Westbury in 1915 – a noted building, replete with a circular drive, tennis court, extensive gardens and orchard, servants quarters and a cellar. The front door for the main house was at the rear, off the big circular driveway onto Brisbane Street.

On 1st March 1916 Dr Burkitt enlisted in the Australian Medical Corp and after serving in France he returned to Australia in September 1917 and fathered three daughters and one son. In addition to his medical pursuits Dr Burkitt was a community spirited man and died on 14th November 1925 suffering from ‘inoperable cancer’. Dubbo flags flew at half-mast in respect to ‘a splendid citizen and a lovable man’. 

The Westbury was later home to Dr Roberts from 1938-1959​ who also lived here with his family having his Doctors Surgery downstairs. Dr Roberts family and three maids  all resided at The Westbury.  There were separate maids for upstairs and downstairs along with a cook. The first powered refrigerator in the district was also located downstairs in The Westbury, covering a whole wall with many doors. 

In 1997 The Westbury was awarded the Daily Liberal Heritage award for restoration of a landmark corner of the Dubbo CBD and was updated to bed and breakfast accommodation and included an antique shop.