[4] Nicholas Bayly, a soldier, received the first land grant in the area in 1803 but sold it two years later to Simeon Lord who called it Dobroyde Estate.

[5][6] In 1901, landholder Richard Stanton bought 50 acres (200,000 m2) from two Ramsay children and subdivided the area to create a garden suburb.

Sydney had recently suffered outbreaks of the bubonic plague in overcrowded parts of the inner city and the garden suburb movement was a response to that, encouraging fresh air.

Renovations and additions to both houses and properties must follow strict guidelines ensuring they stay true to the era's style.

Some examples of rules include: banning the addition of second storeys unless in the existing roof space, banning the demolishing of any protected houses, ensuring a 50:50 ratio of 'hard surface' to 'soft surface' on the property, ensuring house exteriors are painted in federation colours.

Formerly known as Yasmar Hostel, this building was built circa 1870 of dressed stone, with a verandah and iron columns.

It also features French windows and extensive cedar joinery, and is set in a lush garden.

[11] A proposal was made by McDonald's to build a drive-thru outlet on Parramatta Road in Haberfield in 2011.

This was fiercely opposed by a group of local residents[12] who wanted to preserve the suburb's "cultural and architectural heritage.

To the east, the light rail offers a direct link to Pyrmont and Darling Harbour, while to the south it provides an out-of-station interchange with Lewisham railway station and a direct interchange with Dulwich Hill railway station.

About 1500 houses were constructed in this and adjoining areas to designs by architects J Spencer Stansfeld and D Wormald, to Federation or Bungalow styles.

Houses in Haberfield were typically 'detached' double-brick dwellings situated on their own block of land measuring 50' x 150' (15 m x 45 m).

Decorative features typically used in this area include leadlight windows depicting Australian flora and fauna, Art Nouveau timber detailing and tuckpointed brickwork.