History
 Albert Hamlyn Warner was born 1856 in Middlesex, England to parents John Warner
and Elisa Gale and arrived in NSW Australia with his family at the age of 21.
A plumber by trade, Warner first laid most of the water pipes in Elizabeth Street
Sydney, he then made his fortune by investing in land in Burwood and Canley Vale,
he also purchased shops at Waverley and businesses such as Cook's and Shadler's
Bakeries, which was a big undertaking, as there were 21 shops in all, with the
largest in Hunter Street Sydney, he placed staff in each shop and eventually
sold each one to it's manager.
Warner also bought a magnificent restaurant in
Pitt Street Sydney below the Strand Arcade which catered for the after theatre
diners, Warner also built 3 mansions at Point Piper where he lived with his wife
Mary and 3 children, Leslie, Ethel and Elisa.
The Warner Estate soon became very wealthy and set up 3 offices, one in Sydney,
then in Wyong and Warnervale.
During
1903 Warner purchased 12,000 acres of land in the Wyong Shire commencing at
the Wyong River in the south and ending at Wallarah Creek in the north, he
also constructed thirteen retail stores in the main street of Wyong (which
still stand today) and over 100 private homes in the area.
He was well respected
within
the district and regularly donated to the local community and charitable organisations,
including the first ambulance for the Yarramalong Valley, equipment for the
Wyong Public School, land to the Church of England and Catholic Church, he
also donated
land to be used for children's athletics known as Warners Sports Ground and
now known as Baker Park Wyong.
Once
settled in the Wyong Shire Warner built a basic house on the banks of the
Wyong River called, "The Shack", he then tore this down and built his
dream country villa called "Hakone".
The building had three bedrooms,
kitchen, lounge rooms, sitting room, study and magnificent ball room. Warner
used building products from the local area, timber floors were built from Blackbutt
from the Yarramalong Valley and local cedar trees were used for internal timber
doors and trim.
The beautiful ornate Ball Room ceiling was imported from overseas and transported
by ship in 4 creates, the 12 craftsmen who built the masterpiece traveled with
it to make sure it was installed correctly.
Hakone was the grandest private residence in the region where Warner entertained
local VIP's, Members of Parliament, Royalty and International Celebrities,
but little did he envisage it would become the focal point of thousands of
holiday
makers for decades to come. |
