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Fernleigh House

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Collection SummaryFernleigh House, on the western side of Burraneer Bay, is one of the oldest residences in the Sutherland Shire.HistoryFernleigh House, in Fernleigh Rd, Caringbah South, was built from sandstone quarried on site and timber sourced locally in the late 1800s.

The 40 acres of land on which it was originally located was purchased by John Connell Laycock in 1858. Ownership of the land was transferred to Thomas Holt after Laycock defaulted on his mortgages, and subsequently sold to Charles York in 1873. It is a matter of some conjecture whether the house was built by Laycock in 1859-60 or by York in 1875, where it was known as York House. The Gannon family acquired the property in 1888 and it is believed they altered the building and renamed it 'Fernleigh' in 1889.

Over the years the house was bought and sold a number of times and several alterations were made before it was purchased by Errol and Ivy Alcott in 1946 or 47. During the Alcott era Fernleigh operated as a private zoo, housing a menagerie including Macaque monkeys, kangaroos, emus, bats, Shetland ponies, dogs and snakes. The property appeared in a number of television shows in the 1960s. Apparently several of the female kangaroos that played 'Skippy' lived at Fernleigh and the launch of 'Tie me Kangaroo Down, Sport' by Rolf Harris, an Alcott family friend, was held on Fernleigh's front lawn.

Fernleigh House has a State Heritage listing that recognises its historical significance.

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View from historic house Fernleigh at Caringbah

Fernleigh historic house at Caringbah

Fernleigh historic house located at Caringbah

Fernleigh House, Caringbah, with Mrs Alcott on the front lawn with her two Shetland ponies, ca. 1950s

Fernleigh House on Fernleigh Rd., Caringbah, 1968

Fernleigh House, Caringbah with gentleman and dog sitting on the front porch, ca. 1880s-1890s

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Mrs Gannon's Fernleigh Estate, Burraneer Bay, Port Hacking for sale by auction on Thursday 26th January 1905 at 11 a.m

Burraneer, Gannons & Tuson Estates & Fernleigh

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Ivy Alcott

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[Article] Fernleigh House

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PlacesCaringbah SouthSubjectsFernleigh (House : Caringbah, N.S.W.)Fernleigh, Fernleigh Road, Caringbah

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