Peter Garrett lists Mittagong, Southern Highlands cottage

The retired politician activist Peter Garrett has listed his Southern Highlands retreat.

The historic Queen Anne Federation Rowe Cottage has undergone extensive renovation since bought (pictured circa 1995) for $531,000 in May 1995 through Peter Shaw First National.

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Previously Kangaroo Valley weekenders, the Garretts have been often based at the 5.8 hectare Mittagong since they sold their Balgowlah home for $585,000 in 1995.

But Peter and wife, Doris are now making a move back to their newly acquired $2.7 million Paddington terrace.

He retired from parliament at the 2013 federal election, selling his electorate abode earlier this month on Gordon Street, Randwick at $1,321,000.

Rowe Cottage has been listed with $3.3 million plus hopes through Drew Lindsay Real Estate agent John Renouf.They might buy a smaller retreat after the sale.Rowe Cottage was among the Mittagong Cottage Homes, established from 1885 by the State Children's Relief Board.

They were houses that each held 20 children, ranging in age from infancy to adolescence.

The cottages had different functions, as hospitals, disability and truancy institutions, convalescent homes, transit points between foster placements and the reformatory Mittagong Farm School and Training School.

More than 30,000 state children passed through the cottages. 

The Mittagong Cottage Homes had an important role in the New South Wales Government's child welfare system.

Mittagong, it was argued, had a healthy climate which enabled children to gain health and strength and education, surrounded by good farming land, which provided the food necessary to run the homes.

Their programmes included orcharding, dairying, general farming, tailoring, bootmaking, carpentry, poultry and pig farming.