[2] The Norton family have a history over many centuries in the County of Sussex, England, as owners of considerable landed property.

Nathaniel, their second son, like eldest brother, John (born c. 1772,[3] also served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, fighting against the French.

He emigrated to Australia in 1818 and commenced practice as a solicitor, only to be followed the next year by his father John, his brother Lieutenant Nathaniel and three of his sisters, all of whom arrived in Sydney aboard the Harriet on 8 February 1819.

One of the sisters, Emma, was to marry John Oxley the Surveyor General of NSW and leader of several successful journeys of exploration.

Later the family acquired an extensive estate in the Kanimbla Valley in the heart of the Blue Mountains, where they carried on agriculture and stock breeding for many years.

[6] James continued to practise as a solicitor in the Leichhardt area and never took up residence on his own estate, and the father John, moved to a grant made later in the Kanimbla Valley.

[7] John Norton, with his younger son, James after a few years, moved down to the Kanimbla Valley to a large property on the Cox's River, leaving Nathaniel in possession of the Mulgoa grants, which henceforth became known under the name of Fairlight.

[2] William Arthur Helleyer, a Sydney solicitor, bought Fairlight after Nathaniel's death (in 1863)[6] and the property was eventually successfully managed by his son.

[2] The vineyard at Fairlight flourished with a large stone wine cellar, which recently was demolished by developers, being built opposite the house.

[8] Other photographs on p. 133 show the winery, noting its use of gravity - with its construction running down the slope; the barn and a domed pig feeder structure).

[2] c. 1890 the homestead was replaced by a substantial single storey brick dwelling, and the barn modified to provide a large workroom or dormitory on the upper level.

[2] The present house and barn were built by Jarrett in the late 1860s and there are a number of trees that may have been part of his garden, such as the carob (Ceratonia siliqua), kurrajong (Brachychiton populneum) and turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera).

[2] The garden was severely disturbed on 25 December 2001 when strong, hot, westerly winds fanned fires in the Blue Mountains which leapt over the Nepean River and came swiftly to this area.

[2] The ancient hedge of Cape Honeysuckle under the Angophora floribunda in front of the house, woody and always in need of a good prune, vanished and has given a new perspective now with glimpses down the paddock to the Blue Mountains.

[11][2] The site is a very elevated one, with views across rolling landscapes to Sydney, the Nepean (River) gorge and to Camden and Mittagong.

Two articles by Captain J. H. Watson in the Nepean Times of 24 and 31 October 1914 provide an account of the property:[2] '...Fairlight is one of the most lovely places in the county of Cumberland.

Situated many hundred feet above the surrounding country, it commands extensive views in every direction but the west, but in that quarter is backed by the mountains.

c. 1890 the homestead was replaced by a substantial single storeyed brick dwelling, and the barn modified to provide a large workroom or dormitory on the upper level.

The owners imagine he sat under the Port Jackson fig (Ficus macrophylla) trees and took in the best views in the County of Cumberland.

[2] The present house and barn were built by Jarrett in the late 1860s and there are a number of trees that may have been part of his garden, such as the carob (Ceratonia siliqua), kurrajong (Brachychiton populneum) and turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera).

The line of Chinese elms (Ulmus parvifolia) forming the drive to the east of the house mark part of the original driveway.

To the west, a rose walk (Rosa x "White Spray" and 'Iceberg') links the house with the tennis court and pool and incorporates an old Bougainvillea and quince (Cydonia oblonga) tree.

[2] This tranquil garden was severely disturbed on 25 December 2001 when strong, hot, westerly winds fanned fires in the Blue Mountains which leapt over the Nepean River and came swiftly to this area.

[2] The ancient hedge of Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis) under the Angophora floribunda in front of the house, woody and always in need of a good prune, vanished and has given a new perspective now with glimpses down the paddock to the Blue Mountains.

[17][2] Fairlight is an historic property located on a very elevated site with views across rolling landscapes to Sydney, the Nepean River gorge and to Camden and Mittagong.

The original homestead was a single storeyed building not unlike Cox's Cottage, Mulgoa or Clarendon, Richmond.

The present house and barn were built by Jarret in the late 1860s and there are a number of trees that may have been part of his garden, such as the carob, kurrajong and turpentine.