Lake Innes house was built by Major Archibald Clunes Innes using convict labour, in several stages between 1831 and 1843.

The property was originally 2560 acres (1036 hectares) and Innes was convinced that Port Macquarie would become the main gateway to the coastal area around the Hastings River and to nearby New England. The extensive complex was an ambitious creation by one of the most influential of the early European settlers in the area.

The Depression of the 1840s bought him to near insolvency and the closure of Port Macquarie as a penal settlement deprived him of convict labour.

Following Innes' departure the house was occupied by a number of people but was derelict by the beginning of the 1900s and subsequently deteriorated to its present state as a result of natural decay, vandalism and theft of building materials.

The ruins are classified by the National Trust of Australia (NSW).

The site is managed by National Parks and Wildlife Service who offer guided tours on the first Saturday of the month between 2pm & 4:30pm.

Getting there: The Ruins Way, off Oxley Highway.

By car: 10 minutes from the Town Green.

Contact: The National Parks and Wildlife Service conducts tours. For information about these tours contact the Visitor Information Centre, phone (02) 6581 8000. Charges apply for a guided tour.