This suburb of the city of Parramatta bears the name of one of the most outspoken, and least popular pioneers of the European colony. John Harris was born in County Londonderry, Ireland in 1754. Service in the Royal Navy led to his appointment as surgeon upon the convict transporter Surprise, which arrived in Sydney Cove in 1790. Although he admitted to enjoying the climate of this southern continent, he held nothing but disregard for the infant community. Harris found the environs godforsaken and the inhabitants unpromising. He reserved particular contempt for the convict element, proving the source of future clashes with both emancipists and liberal minded free settlers.

It was possibly a 100 acre grant of Parramatta land in 1793 that persuaded the stubborn doctor to adopt New South Wales as his permanent home. The Crown resumed this land for public use in 1794, placating Harris with a replacement grant of 110 acres nearby. This he called Harris Park. Later that year he increased this estate, purchasing 30 acres of James Ruse's Experiment Farm. Some time during the next few decades, the doctor erected a house at Harris Park which still stands near James Ruse Reserve, just north of the present day suburb of Harris Park.

By the close of 1794, Dr Harris had consolidated more than just land holdings. Appointed to the office of magistrate, he served in this post for the next 34 years. Governor Philip King commended Harris' magisterial performance, both by words and action. In 1806 King displayed his appreciation by granting Harris all land lying between Iron Cove and Hen and Chicken Bay; some 1500 acres that became known as Five Dock Farm. However not all colonist were as enamoured with the surgeon as Governor King. Throughout his career Harris fell out with such notable and influential pioneers as Colonel George Johnston, Sir Henry Brown Hayes, John Macarthur and Governor Lachlan Macquarie and his wife.

In 1809 Harris was summoned to England to give evidence at the Rum Rebellion trials, where he met and married a youthful woman named Eliza. The 60 year old doctor returned to Sydney in 1814 accompanied by his 24 year old bride, where he resumed his official magisterial services.

By the late 1820s Harris was generally recognised as one of the largest land holders in the colony of New South Wales. An 1826 inventory accounting the surgeon's estate confirms this. In addition to his Harris Park estate near Parramatta, Harris possessed land at Five Dock, Pitt Town, Shanes Park and Ultimo. However, the following decade proved less than favourable for the doctor. Not only did he lose the use of his legs, he also lost his wife. Perhaps the passing of the 47 year old Eliza made Harris face his own imminent end. A year later, in 1838 at 84 years of age, the influential colonial John Harris passed away.

Harris Park estate was subdivided in the 1870s, and gradually emerged as the bustling residential suburb of today.

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