Renovated Macquarie estate full of history expected to sell for over $10m
More than $10m is expected for the fully renovated Macquarie estate near Bathurst that has been owned by just three families during its history of 200-plus years.
More than $10m is expected for the fully renovated Macquarie estate near Bathurst that has been owned by just three families – the Lawsons, McKibbins and the Hennessys – during its history of 200-plus years.
The high-rainfall grazing property in the NSW Central Tablelands was established by explorer and pastoralist William Lawson when he was granted 1000 acres by governor Lachlan Macquarie as his reward for his part in the successful crossing of the Blue Mountains.
The O’Connell Rd, O’Connell property, which is about to hit the market, comprises 466ha of fertile grazing land above the Fish River and sports a near 30-room fully renovated colonial homestead set amid established grounds and gardens. The estate also sports a convict barracks plus two small cottages that can be used for additional accommodation.
The vendors, retired chartered accountant Paul Hennessy and wife Bonny, are downsizing nearby and reckon they have poured $8m-$10m into restoring Macquarie, which was completely “derelict and uninhabitable” when they purchased it for $4m 10 years ago. The sale of surplus land on the estate helped the couple fund the restorations.
Billed as the first farm and most probably the oldest continuous residence over the Blue Mountains, the property is 13km from Bathurst and has approval for a five-lot subdivision. The property has a 4km frontage to the Fish River and comes with a 140-megalitre irrigation licence.
Work on the Macquarie convict barracks started in 1818 and the barracks and the homestead were completed around 1822 by William Lawson with the help of about 100 men.
“The property, homestead and convict barracks hold historic significance in the Bathurst district and indeed nationally,” say Bonny and Paul Hennessey, who oversaw the meticulous restoration using heritage architect David Scobie and engineer Garth Dean.
The Macquarie homestead sports 27 rooms, including domestic accommodation in the attic and an extensive cellar. It is surrounded by more than 1km of post and rail timber fencing.
It has a historic underground cellar at its rear accessed through double hatch doors.
The two-storey convict barracks were completed in 1818, with the ground floor comprising a large room where up to 28 convicts slept in hammocks, and two smaller rooms where their supervisors were housed.
More than 1 million high-quality bricks manufactured on site were used in the construction of the barracks, homestead and historic buildings.
The Hennessys believe the fully restored convict barracks could be converted into accommodation with one large open function space flowing out onto the lawn with sweeping views down to the Fish River. The top floor is fully airconditioned with lounge and sleeping area, study and kitchenette plus a modern limestone bathroom.
There is extra accommodation in the quaint Men’s Hut, which was completed in the 1820s and could be used as a B&B. It has an open-plan kitchen and living area with timber floors and a wood fire. The Shearers Quarters have been renovated to provide farm accommodation offering three bedrooms, a modest country kitchen and living area.
A circular gravel driveway loops around the front of the homestead, while there’s a secondary road to the rear of the main buildings allowing access to the two-car garage, which was constructed using recycled building materials.
Water is pumped up from the Fish River and there’s also a 26m deep historic well in the courtyard garden that was hand dug by some of the 140 convicts who worked on the estate.
LAWD agents Ian Robertson and Trish Brewer are handling the marketing campaign of the estate, which is three hours’ drive from Sydney.