Hunter Valley mansion built for Newcastle transport magnate John Farragher back on the market

A European-inspired Hunter Valley mansion originally built for Newcastle transport magnate John Farragher and wife Pam is back on the market for the first time in a decade.

The four-bedroom, three-bathroom property at 22 Forsythe Parade is listed for sale by expressions of interest with PRDnationwide Hunter Valley’s James Hannah and Rhonda Nyquist.

“We are guiding in the range of $4 million,” Mr Hannah said.

Set on three acres, Mr Hannah described the property as one of the Hunter Valley’s finest residences.

It was built in 1988 by the late John Farragher and his wife Pam, who were well-known for their Maitland-based transport business.

The property was then passed to Lee and Frank Murphy of Hunter Valley Coaches, before it sold to Orica general manager James Bonner in 2011.

CoreLogic records show the current owner purchased the property in 2014 for $1.63 million.

Taking inspiration from European architecture, the house is grand in proportion and the property includes horse stables and paddocks.

Mr Hannah said the Newcastle-based owner had used the property as a weekender since purchasing a house closer to the beach.

“The owner has real estate in Newcastle, so this is surplus to their needs and is now on the market,” he said.

The house is set behind an iron-gated entrance at the end of a circular driveway lined with mature date palms.

The front facade features archways, a large portico, and an oversized timber front door to create a grand first impression.

It opens to a large foyer with a circular open atrium leading to a ballroom on the upper level.

“It was built by the Farraghers and is a well-known property in the region,” he said.

“The proportions of the property are huge, but it also combines grandeur and intimacy.

“It is quite surprising inside.”

Set across separate wings, the master suite in the eastern wing has a private terrace, a dressing room and a spacious ensuite.

There are three additional bedrooms with access to the terrace via French doors.

Other features include a wide hallway with ornate cornices and an upgraded gourmet kitchen with Caesarstone benchtops and a large island bench.

Cedar plantation shutters are fitted throughout and the main bathroom has a double spa bath.

Formal and informal living areas include a library and study, a large upper terrace and a tiled alfresco area.

Outdoors has a heated swimming pool and a spa, horse stables, paddocks and a four-car garage with loft storage.

Black Hill is 26 kilometres from Newcastle CBD and 15 minutes from Maitland.

“For an acreage and to have access to all of the facilities that you have on a property like that, normally you have to go out to wine country to find a home of this calibre,” he said.

“It is set up as a hobby farm and you could keep horses or sheep, so to have that and live 20 minutes from the beach is pretty special.”

It is the second property Mr Hannah has listed on Forsythe Parade in the past 12 months.

In December, he sold a five-bedroom, four-bathroom acreage property at 19 Forsythe Drive for $2.54 million.

The median sale price of a house in Black Hill is $1.04 million, according to CoreLogic.