The property is owned by the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales, but is leased to banker Tim Throsby of Barclays, a descendant of the original owners.

[1] In 1819, retired Naval Surgeon Dr Charles Throsby was granted 1000 acres by Governor Macquarie in appreciation of his services to the Colony.

Dr Throsby's services to the colony included involvement in the exploration of routes down the Illawarra Escarpment, from Sutton Forest to Jervis Bay and from the Cowpastures to Bathurst.

This exploration was undertaken by himself, Hamilton Hume, James Meehan the surveyor, and Joseph Wild, through Camden, Bargo, Marulan and the Kangaroo Valley.

The number of employees grew steadily from 30, mainly assigned servants including labourers, stockmen, shepherds, watchman, hutkeepers, overseer, ploughman, gardener, fencer and shoemaker, to 50 workers in 1841.

In 1868 she moved into the cottage and leased Throsby Park house to the Governor of New South Wales, Lord Belmore as his summer residence.

[1] A clay tennis court was built on terraced ground to the rear of Throsby Park house c. 1915-16 and became the social hub of the property up until World War II.

By returning Throsby Park to its original use as a residence, HHT was to maintain its heritage values while ensuring regular opportunities for the public to visit and appreciate the property.

A major task was repairing the 26 verandah columns' lower decayed sections - cut off and replaced with brick and render base "plates".

One of twelve submissions for the leasehold, Throsby won not only because of family connection, but based on a $2.5m investment in conserving the house itself and a remaining $1.3m in annual rental over 40 years.

'This is a real success in terms of taking a state-owned property, which was not in great condition and not being used, and bringing it back to life and conserving it in a way that won't cost the state', Rose said.

[1] Throsby Park House is a one-story structure with cellars and attics, built of locally quarried stone, internally divided by brick walls with cedar joinery throughout and an iron roof.

It is a rare property, that retains the ability to reflect its colonial period of use as an intense commercial mixed farming and subsistence operation that came to an end with the death of Charles Throsby in 1856.

It is a substantially intact, surviving example of the cultural landscape of an intensely farmed high quality property which became the generators and breeding grounds for subsequent rural expansion and squatting empires.

It is a fine and early representative example of the "large verandahed cottage" which developed in the 1830s from villa and bungalow antecedents within the Old Colonial Georgian Style.

Sited crowning a hill overlooking Moss Vale, the house makes a strong visual statement, with its commanding position and attendant dark pines contained within a sweeping rural landscape.

The landscape is articulated by a range of buildings, early plantings and archaeological sites which illustrate the social and rural processes of settlement and the continuity of land use and circulation patterns.

The main house is an excellent example of bungalow style homestead with a courtyard which is rare in New South Wales and demonstrates the needs of a large rural family.

The associated stables building is an important example of early Victorian colonial design which remains in use as part of the riding school established in 1934 by the Throsby family.

The property includes an important collection of colonial furniture purchased or donated in recent times as well as pieces associated with the Throsby family.

In addition the property has been associated with significant nineteenth century figures including the Earl of Belmore, Bishop Barker and members of the Fairfax family.

[1] Dr Charles Throsby was an important colonial figure who became a wealthy property owner, pastoralist, breeder of quality stock and he was one of the three private citizens selected as members of the first Legislative Council in NSW.

His explorations did much to open up overland access to the Illawarra District and the Southern Highlands of New South Wales and was rewarded for his efforts by the opportunity to select 1000 acres anywhere in the area he had discovered.

When viewed as a whole, the homestead and its associated outbuildings, its natural setting and landforms with cultivated gardens and pastures is evocative of its early 19th century origins and appearance.

Throsby Park Historic Site is of state significance as the first property developed outside the County of Cumberland and is an important milestone in opening up the Southern Highlands and the Berrima District.

Throsby Park house is a rare rural property with surviving 1820s farm buildings, which exhibits a strong sense of continuity from its colonial origins.

[1] Throsby Park was the first property developed outside the County of Cumberland and an important milestone in opening up the Southern Highlands and the Berrima district to settlement.

Throsby Park Historic Site contains representative examples of various elements associated with architecture, colonial society, workmanship and technology.

Throsby Park House is a representative example of the 1830s large verandahed cottage type which is a sub-set of the Old Colonial Georgian architectural style.

[1] The farm buildings associated with the historic property are a fine, representative, early nineteenth century period set, although many are altered and all except the stables are now in private ownership.