The site of Stanley Park was first owned by James Smith, an emancipated convict who was given the 880-acre land grant in 1837.
The following year he sold it to Gentleman John Smith, a wealthy land owner with business interests in Maitland and Newcastle. John Smith had a contract to supply beef to the army and this was shipped from the Fullerton Cove property’s wharf.
In 1897 Stanley Smith, the grandson of Gentleman John Smith, built the 2 storey homestead estimated to cost around 1800 pounds, hence the property name “Stanley Park”. It featured 6 marble fire places with cedar joinery throughout. The builder was Mr W. King of Largs, who constructed the walls 14 inches thick at the bottom and 11 inches at the top.