Innisfallen in Castle Cove looking for new buyer to make a castle his home
Innisfallen Castle, the Castle Cove trophy home, has been listed for sale. It’s billed as an irreplaceable piece of history, ranking among Sydney and Australia’s most romantic residential castellated mansions.
The turreted Innisfallen, last sold in 1988 for $5.25 million, was only built in 1903 on the Castle Cove waterfront.
It’s been listed by Peter Montgomery, who also owns Fernleigh Castle in Rose Bay.
The landmark Gothic sandstone castle occupies 8,353 square metres of waterfront reserve land overlooking Middle Harbour.
It’s only had the two owners since it was held by the Willis family since construction until 1988.
It’s been listed with Ken Jacobs of Christies International with approved architects plans for substantial transformation of both the house and grounds.
An adjoining 1,289-square-metre property could also be incorporated into the sale if desired.
In 1987 the Minister for Environment and Planning, Bob Carr, ensured that no development would be allowed in the grounds.
After extensive lobbying from the state MP for Willoughby Peter Collins, plans to convert the 80-year-old castle into two units and build 12 townhouses in the grounds were deemed "excess”.
Innisfallen Castle was built for Henry Hastings Willis, who served in the first three Federal Parliaments. The castle was originally set on 21 hectares of land after being built with sandstone quarried on the estate. Interior decorations include plaster rosettes and leadlights depicting native flora. Its exterior architectural style is described as Federation with castellated Tudor.
In 1966 most of the land was sold off for a housing estate. The castle is classified by the National Trust, and in 1983 the Heritage Council placed an interim preservation order on the castle estate.
