Fairfax’s Harrington Park Homestead on the market

The last property owned by the late Lady Mary Fairfax has gone on the market for the first time in 75 years.

Lady Mary Fairfax's former retreat, Harrington Park Homestead near Camden, has been listed.

The last property owned by the late Lady Mary Fairfax has gone on the market for the first time in 75 years.

Harrington Park Homestead, in the southwestern Sydney suburb of Harrington Park, is the jewel in the crown of an 8ha estate, recently restored to its former glory.

It was purchased by Warwick Fairfax, the great-grandson of Australian newspaper and publishing pioneer John Fairfax, and his wife in 1944 and became their weekend retreat.

It is the last remaining property associated with the philanthropist after the sale of Lady Fairfax’s harbourfront mansion at Double Bay, Fairwater, to Atlassian tech boss billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and his wife Annie, for close to $100m following Lady Mary’s death in 2017.

The three-storey, five-bedroom, Georgian-styled homestead is being marketed through Harrington Estates, the developer behind Harrington Park, Harrington Grove, and Catherine Park Estate. No price guide has been provided.

Harrington Estates managing director Terry Goldacre said the historically significant property had potential to become a home.

“Harrington Park Homestead and its estate have been deemed as having NSW state significance by the NSW government. On the Heritage Register, it is described as being of NSW state significance as one of the earliest ‘Cow Pasture’ homesteads on the Cumberland Plain,” Mr Goldacre said.

“When the three-year restoration of Harrington Park Homestead began in 2010, it was done with the view that the property would eventually be sold. The renovation was led by Harrington Estates, who commissioned heritage architect Lester Tropman. The home was restored to respect its history but to also bring it to a level where it can be lived in.”

Not only a weekend retreat from the Fairfaxes busy life in city, the homestead was used as a cattle station to house Sir Warwick’s prize Poll Hereford Stud and was where Lady Mary managed her commercial cut flower business.

Throughout their ownership several changes were made to personalise the 200-year-old property. Two pavilion-style rooms were added to the property to act as the couple’s private lounge and bedroom suite, with glass pyramid ceilings that can be opened to reveal a large skylight. It also boasts an external billiard room, traveller’s rooms, two caretaker cottages and extensive cellars.

In the mid-1970s, the Fairfaxes began to consider redeveloping the land surrounding the homestead.

While Sir Warwick died in 1987 before the plan was realised, Lady Mary remained active in the planning and community building of emerging suburbs Harrington Park and Harrington Grove.