History of Pirra Homestead, Lara

Pirra was purchased by the Fairbairn family in 1863, they owned the property until 1907.

The property was 1239 acres and was used as a sheep station. The main building has two storeys has twenty rooms and was built between 1880 - 1882. The house was designed by Alexander Davidson and company.

In 1869 a single storey building was built to the west of the main house. This building has one main room on one side and two smaller rooms on the other side of the corridor, at the end of the corridor are two bathrooms.

In 1907 Pirra became the Lara Inebriates Institution, which was closed down in 1930. During this time a building to the west of the single storey 1969 building was constructed in 1907. This building was the inebriates dormitory.

The McDonald family purchased Pirra in 1938. The property was used to grow crop and farm sheep. Between 1946 - 1948 the states tobacco company leased the inebriates dormitory.

The Mendelsohn Family were at Pirra between 1948 - 1959. During this time Pirra was called Serendip, and it was proclaimed a sanctuary by the state Government. The Pelaco Factory leased the former inebriates dormitory building from 1948 to 1958.

In 1959 the Government bought Pirra and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife took control of the 622 acres which later became Serendip Sanctuary. In 1961

Pirra became the Pirra Girls Home until 1983.

Pirra became an arts centre  in 1983 until early 2006.

Single storey homestead built in 1869	Two storey mansion built in 1880 to 1882	Pirra Cottage built in 1907