Elizabeth Bay House is a superb example of great architecture overlooking the foreshores of the harbour. It was built between 1835 and 1839 and was known as 'the finest house in the colony'. The house was erected for Colonial Secretary Alexander Macleay and his family. However, he had to sell the building to his son due to crippling debts, only to see his son evict him and rid the contents of the house. Today, Elizabeth Bay House contains some of the finest interior handicrafts on display in Australia. The most striking is an oval shape salon illuminated during the day by sunlight coming through the dome roof. Other masterpieces include the staircase that winds itself to the upper floor. The house was restored in 1977 and is cared for by the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales