The Hennessys became just the third owners of Macquarie when they bought the O'Connell Road property in 2012 and they have overseen a remarkable change.

The old homestead that originally belonged to William Lawson - of Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson fame - has been restored and the two-storey convict barracks that stand next to it - built by convicts and once home to 28 convicts - have been saved from ruin.

But the project has been all-consuming and Mr Hennessy said he and his wife now wanted to free up time to spend with their two daughters and their grandchildren who live in Melbourne.

Macquarie will go to auction on Friday, July 5 and Mr Hennessy said it would be a relief if it sold.

"It was not a difficult decision. We are satisfied with what we have done in terms of saving the building and making a contribution to society," he said.

Agent Bill Marshall of Ray White Emms Mooney described Macquarie as "a Georgian farmhouse built in the early Australian colonial tradition".

"It has been estimated that one million bricks have been used in the buildings and the timber all cut by hand with a cross-cut saw by the convict labourers is estimated to be 300 or even 400 years old."

Macquarie stands on almost 1200 acres of prime riverfront land and is still operating as a fat lamb enterprise.

Mr Hennessy said he would like to see a "like-minded" person take on the project and warned there was still more to be done on the restoration.

"The main job would be to restore the underground silos which is a significant project," he said.

And early signs are good: The property was only advertised for sale for the first time on Thursday and Mr Hennessy said he had already arranged for three inspections.

But despite the property's unique place in the history of NSW, one potential buyer that won't be making on bid on July 5 is the state government.

Bathurst MP Paul Toole acknowledged the Hennessys' good work and the importance of Macquarie but made it clear the government would not be bidding.

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"I think the community recgnises the importance of the Macquarie homestead in relation to local history and, whoever ends up owning it, I'm sure people in the community want to continue to be able to see and share the property as it has been with the current owners," he said.

"But there are no plans for the government to purchase the property."

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