A Sutherland Shire Council spokeswoman said the preservation of Heathcote Hall was a priority for the council and the state.
‘‘Controls under the LEP are flexible and exceptions are made with buildings like this if the conservation and preservation of the building depends on it,’’ she said.
‘‘We have a fairly extensive list of items on the shire’s heritage register but there aren’t many on the state register so this building is quite significant.’’
TIMELINE b
1840: First original land grants at East Heathcote, or Bottle Forest.
1880s: The three original parcels of land — 50 acres or 20.2 ha — are transferred to Abel Harber, a brick manufacturer from St Peters.
1887: Heathcote Hall is built by Abel Harber costing £7000.
1889: After building the Imperial Arcade in the city Harber sustains heavy financial losses and is forced to mortgage the property to Edward Terry.
1892: The property is passed to the Colonial Finance, Mortgage Investment and Guarantee Corporation.
1896: Heathcote Hall is offered as first prize in a lottery. The new owner is Marrickville builder Samuel Gillette.
1901: Heathcote Hall is purchased by Edmund Brown.
1925: Edmund Brown dies. His widow, Jessie resides in Heathcote Hall for several years.
1928: The historic estate is subdivided into 168 allotments and sold off as the Heathcote Estate.
1943: Heathcote Hall is bought by the Farrelly family who are still the owners.
1996: The movie The Munsters’ Scary Little Christmas (pictured) is filmed at the property.
2003: Heathcote Hall undergoes a $120,000 facelift after a Heritage Council grant. The building’s signature turret is stabilised and painted.
What do you think should happen with Heathcote Hall?
Heathcote Hall should be preserved at all costs. An aged care complex would be ideal. The former Ritz Hotel at Leura is now a aged care complex. This is a great way to preserve the building and the surrounding grounds. My great great grandfather Abel Harber built Heathcote Hall.
He was not only a brickmaster in NSW and WA. He was also the first WA champion of lawn bowling in 1899. He also invented a portable roasting oven for brickmaking.
As a very old lady Annie Harber spent Christmas Day with my family. My mother, Jean Harber, was the daughter of Annie’s brother Henry Reuben, son of Abel and Jane Harber.
Aunty Annie spoke of living in Heathcote Hall and said that the children, especially the girls, hated living there as it was so far from “society”.
I would love to see Heathcote Hall turned into a grand conference centre or a place where wonderful functions were held.
I am sure the spirits of Aunty Annie and her sisters would sit on the stairs watching all the beautifully dressed women lamenting the fact that they weren’t able to attend as well.