Orielton Homestead restored to former glory
HARRINGTON Park’s Orielton Homestead will be restored to its magnificent best. The 26-room, state heritage-significant property has a colourful past across almost two centuries — and 13 owners.
Macarthur
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HARRINGTON Park’s Orielton Homestead will be restored to its magnificent best.
The 26-room, state heritage-significant property has a colourful past across almost two centuries — and 13 owners.
In 1817, Captain William Douglas Campbell selected a position with impressive views and began building a cottage of stone floors and clay bricks.
This was the humble beginning of what would become the grand Harrington Park homestead.
In 1847, it housed the first Australian-born poet to publish a volume of verse, Charles Tompson. It has been a school and a World War II military training camp.
Harrington Estates development director Trevor Jensen said it was special to be able play a role in restoring one of the area’s historical treasures.
“The heritage of the Camden Valley is very significant and we are very lucky to have three old houses within the Fairfax holdings that we have lovingly restored,” he said.
“We are very lucky the development (of Harrington Park and Harrington Grove) has afforded us the opportunity to restore the old homes and leave our legacy.
“We are now very keen to see the next evolution of Orielton, for it to go to the next owners and hopefully they love it like some of the owners past.”
The three-year restoration project has been a delicate process and a highly-skilled team has recaptured the home’s historical sentiment.
Heritage architect Lester Tropman said: “A lot of the evidence was still here (at Orielton Homestead), even though we had things like whole front doors which had been lost.
“We had reasonably good photographic material available and the evidence presented on site.”
A book will be published to celebrate the restoration and history of the property.
Author Sheree Gover said: “I think it’s really important to capture it and not lose it.”
ORIELTON HISTORY
■ In 1815, a 655ha grant was awarded to Edward Lord at the site of Orielton.
■ Orielton Homestead reached its full glory in the late 1870s under the ownership of Harriet Beard.
■ During World War II, Orielton was occupied by the military for training.
■ Since 1944, Orielton has been owned by the Fairfax family.