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147-605: The Camden Park Estate incorporating the Belgenny Farm is a heritage-listed large working historical farm located at Elizabeth Macarthur Avenue, in the outer south-western Sydney suburb of Camden South , New South Wales , Australia. It was designed by Henry Kitchen in c. 1800 , John Verge in c. 1835 and A. J. Onslow in c. 1888 and built from 1819 to 1840 by John Macarthur in c. 1800 , James English and Sons in c. 1888 and John Sulman c. 1895 . The property
294-718: A southerly buster , a powerful southerly that brings gale winds and a rapid fall in temperature. Since Sydney is downwind of the Great Dividing Range , it occasionally experiences dry, westerly foehn winds typically in winter and early spring (which are the reason for its warm maximum temperatures). Westerly winds are intense when the Roaring Forties (or the Southern Annular Mode ) shift towards southeastern Australia, where they may damage homes and affect flights , in addition to making
441-471: A beautiful park, totally divested of underwood, interspersed with plains, with rich luxuriant grass". Earlier Europeans had described "large ponds covered with ducks and the black swan, the margins of which were fringed with shrubs of the most delightful tints". The Europeans thought the flats were perfect for cattle and the hills would carry sheep. They admired the absence of underbush – probably achieved through Aboriginal burning off – and felt comfortable with
588-407: A currency. In 1807 when Macarthur resisted Bligh's order to arrest him, Bligh had him placed under "house arrest" by Rum Corps officers. Macarthur was effectively exiled from the colony from 1810 to 1817 for his involvement in the " Rum Rebellion ", leaving his wife Elizabeth to do most of the work in developing food production at Camden Park. Elizabeth left her residence at Elizabeth Farm and spent
735-571: A duel in which he shot his own commanding officer. While in England, Macarthur worked to promote his own interests and that of the colony by setting out the groundwork for a wool industry. He convinced the British Secretary of State, Lord Camden, to provide him with more land to pasture his flocks, and he also acquired a small number of merino sheep from the flocks of King George III . In December 1803 Governor King and Mrs King visited
882-463: A feature lasting into the new century. The granary was built at some time after 1840 and was used to store produce and the carpenter's shop may have been erected at this time although its original function is unknown. The economic recession of 1840 resulted in some land being sold with the proceeds from the sale used to fund the construction of a road network and an underground silo. By 1846, tenants had increased in number as more than 800 people lived on
1029-519: A feature of Sydney's topography. After Phillip's departure in December 1792, the colony's military officers began acquiring land and importing consumer goods from visiting ships. Former convicts engaged in trade and opened small businesses. Soldiers and former convicts built houses on Crown land, with or without official permission, in what was now commonly called Sydney town. Governor William Bligh (1806–08) imposed restrictions on commerce and ordered
1176-696: A few areas of wet sclerophyll forests in the wetter, elevated areas in the north and northeast . These forests are defined by straight, tall tree canopies with a moist understory of soft-leaved shrubs, tree ferns and herbs. The predominant vegetation community in Sydney is the Cumberland Plain Woodland in Western Sydney ( Cumberland Plain ), followed by the Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest in
1323-511: A fresh water supply and a safe harbour, which Philip described as "the finest Harbour in the World ... Here a Thousand Sail of the Line may ride in the most perfect Security". The settlement was planned to be a self-sufficient penal colony based on subsistence agriculture. Trade and shipbuilding were banned in order to keep the convicts isolated. However, the soil around the settlement proved poor and
1470-543: A great distance) the surrounding countryside. Initially a settlement for emancipated convicts , it later became a village . Since colonisation, settlers cleared larger areas of land to raise livestock , build churches , inns , schools , shops and a large reservoir. Naturalist Charles Darwin visited Prospect in January 1836, to observe the geology. Prior to the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, Prospect
1617-521: A hothouse and imported valuable orchids". Although there is no evidence of any breeding of ornamental garden plants in the early days of the colony, botanical records dating from 1831 reveal a growing interest in plant hybridisation and colonial botanical assignments. Early botanical records held at the Royal Botanical Gardens Sydney, show that William Macarthur of Camden Park collected native plant specimens from all over NSW, and
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#17327809555161764-593: A landscape that reminded them of an English gentleman's park. On his return to NSW in 1805 with an additional 2,000-hectare (4,900-acre) grant from Lord Camden, John Macarthur selected land known as the Cowpastures on the western side of Nepean River. Although these were the traditional lands of the Gandangara people, Macarthur expressed his gratitude to Lord Camden by naming the 1805 grant "Camden". From this time, John Macarthur resigned his commission as leader of
1911-545: A large house there, which he named Veteran Hall , because he had a commission in the NSW Veterans Company. In the 1880s most of the property was submerged in what is now Prospect reservoir , although Veteran Hall itself was well above the water level. In 1912 it was used by the army and many of the larger rooms subdivided, giving rise to a myth that it had been a "forty-roomed mansion" in Lawson's time. The house
2058-464: A milk depot with a railway siding was built at Camden. Menangle Model Dairy was built in 1926 and improvements were made to the home dairy. From this time onwards the economic basis of the estate changed as the dairy activities at Menangle became prominent. The creamery building was used for this purpose. In 1928 a new timber slaughterhouse was built. By 1937, Belgenny became primarily a storage place for machinery. The working horse stables were converted to
2205-584: A path to becoming an internationally acclaimed wine growing district. By 1853 Camden Park listed some 33 grape varieties for sale. Camden Park became world-renowned for the quality of its wine and by 1845 was producing around 45,000 litres; 12,000 US gallons (10,000 imp gal) per annum as a serious vineyard and one of the most highly regarded in the colony and with quite a reputation overseas. The Australian Dictionary of Biography entry for Sir William Macarthur 1800–1882 mentions that William "grew many fruit trees, vegetables and flowers and that later he built
2352-417: A path to becoming an internationally acclaimed wine growing district. Camden Park became world-renowned for the quality of its wine and by 1845 was producing around 45,000 litres; 12,000 US gallons (10,000 imp gal) per annum as a serious vineyard and one of the most highly regarded in the colony and with quite a reputation overseas. A horse stud was established at the farm, which grew in importance as
2499-607: A pattern of resistance that was to be repeated as the colonial frontier expanded . A military garrison was established on the Hawkesbury in 1795. The death toll from 1794 to 1800 was 26 settlers and up to 200 Darug. Conflict again erupted from 1814 to 1816 with the expansion of the colony into Dharawal country in the Nepean region south-west of Sydney. Following the deaths of several settlers, Governor Macquarie dispatched three military detachments into Dharawal lands, culminating in
2646-403: A piggery nearby were built at Belgenny Farm. During the early 1900s, an engine room was built by the farm's carpenter to house steam and diesel engines, which were used to drive chaff cutters and other machinery. The farm had become economically negligible however the real wealth came from the orchard and dairy. In 1899 more cottages were built and a co-operative dairy was established with some of
2793-486: A planner to design the street layout of Sydney and commissioned the construction of roads, wharves, churches, and public buildings. Parramatta Road , linking Sydney and Parramatta, was opened in 1811, and a road across the Blue Mountains was completed in 1815, opening the way for large-scale farming and grazing west of the Great Dividing Range . Following the departure of Macquarie, official policy encouraged
2940-423: A rich ceremonial life, part of a belief system centring on ancestral, totemic and supernatural beings. People from different clans and language groups came together to participate in initiation and other ceremonies. These occasions fostered trade, marriages and clan alliances. The earliest British settlers recorded the word ' Eora ' as an Aboriginal term meaning either 'people' or 'from this place'. The clans of
3087-561: A severe dust storm towards the city . The Greater Sydney Commission divides Sydney into three "cities" and five "districts" based on the 33 LGAs in the metropolitan area. The "metropolis of three cities" comprises Eastern Harbour City , Central River City and Western Parkland City . The Australian Bureau of Statistics also includes City of Central Coast (the former Gosford City and Wyong Shire) as part of Greater Sydney for population counts, adding 330,000 people. The CBD extends about 3 km (1.9 mi) south from Sydney Cove . It
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#17327809555163234-506: A shearing shed and additions were made to the granary and blacksmith's shop. The second storey of the creamery, which housed the cream separator, was demolished and a community hall was built. Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia . Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 km (50 mi) from
3381-678: A showplace in the Sydney Basin . He commented on the generosity of Blaxland to share his knowledge and cuttings from his vineyard. Cuttings from Brush Farm provided early vines for Wyndham Estate (at Dalwood) in the Hunter Valley. It was not until the 1830s that William Macarthur sent 34,000 vines from Camden Park estate to the Barossa Valley in South Australia , to begin the wine industry in that state. The creamery
3528-517: A small town. The large estates that flanked Cowpasture Road (later Camden Valley Way) and the Northern Road were run largely as sheep and cattle farms, with wheat and other grain crops being grown as well until the 1850s. The houses were often built on surrounding ridges or hills, providing sweeping views of the countryside and ensuring that any passing traveller could appreciate the owner's status by viewing their impressive country mansions from
3675-531: A visit in 1864: "Camden Park, the Seat of Sir William Macarthur, November 17, 1864 – Sir William Macarthur, who is now almost as well known in Europe as in Australia, is a most enthusiastic amateur in horticulture. Camden Park is situated in the centre of an estate of 30,000 acres of fine arable and pasture land. It is 40 miles from Sydney and easily accessible by rail, the station of Mena(n)gle being within 4 miles of
3822-610: A well-known Hackney nurseryman in London. This coral tree is believed to be the first Australian hybrid garden plant to be published in England, in 1847. William Macarthur continued to donate plants to the Royal Botanical Gardens Sydney until 1880, including roses, pelargoniums, orchards, palms, araucarias and tropical shrubs. He also regularly received plants from the Royal Botanical Gardens Sydney between 1835 and 1868, including grapes, Australasian conifers, African gesneriads and native plants. The orchard and nursery formed important parts of
3969-449: A wide, semi-circular front verandah supported by four pillars. The foundations were of stone, the roof of slate, and the doors and architraves of heavy red cedar. It was richly furnished with articles of the best quality available and was the scene of many glittering soirees attended by the elite of the colony. Honoria Lawson died in 1845, Nelson remarried a year later, but died in 1849, and the property reverted to his father. Greystanes house
4116-739: A year have temperatures at or above 30 °C (86 °F) in the central business district (CBD). In contrast, the metropolitan area averages between 35 and 65 days, depending on the suburb. The hottest day in the metropolitan area occurred in Penrith on 4 January 2020, where a high of 48.9 °C (120.0 °F) was recorded. The average annual temperature of the sea ranges from 18.5 °C (65.3 °F) in September to 23.7 °C (74.7 °F) in February. Sydney has an average of 7.2 hours of sunshine per day and 109.5 clear days annually. Due to
4263-431: Is "a very pleasant tract of country, which, from the distance the trees grew from each other, and the gentle hills and dales , and rising slopes covered with grass , appeared like a vast park. The soil from Rose Hill to Prospect-Hill is nearly alike, being a loam and clay ." The tree cover was mainly the eucalypts , grey box and forest red gum . Spotted gum ( Corymbia maculata ) is also known to have occurred in
4410-459: Is a historical Victorian-style shopping arcade . Opened on 1 April 1892, its shop fronts are an exact replica of the original internal shopping facades. Westfield Sydney , located beneath the Sydney Tower , is the largest shopping centre by area in Sydney. Prospect, New South Wales Prospect is a suburb of Sydney , in the state of New South Wales , Australia . Prospect
4557-540: Is bordered by Farm Cove within the Royal Botanic Garden to the east and Darling Harbour to the west. Suburbs surrounding the CBD include Woolloomooloo and Potts Point to the east, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst to the south, Pyrmont and Ultimo to the west, and Millers Point and The Rocks to the north. Most of these suburbs measure less than 1 km (0.4 sq mi) in area. The Sydney CBD
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4704-451: Is characterised by narrow streets and thoroughfares, created in its convict beginnings. Several localities, distinct from suburbs, exist throughout Sydney's inner reaches. Central and Circular Quay are transport hubs with ferry, rail, and bus interchanges. Chinatown , Darling Harbour, and Kings Cross are important locations for culture, tourism, and recreation. The Strand Arcade , located between Pitt Street Mall and George Street ,
4851-577: Is located 32 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Blacktown and a small part of Cumberland City Council , is part of the Greater Western Sydney region. One of the oldest suburbs in Sydney, Prospect takes its name from the prominent nearby landmark of Prospect Hill - from the top of which people could get a prospect of (see
4998-754: Is owned by Belgenny Farm Trust and Camden Park Preservation Committee. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2006. Today, part of the original estate contains the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute; having originally served as a commercial sheep station and horticultural farm for the Macarthur family since the early 1800s. When the first fleet arrived in Sydney Cove in 1788 they found
5145-548: Is today part of the Camden Valley Way. Several visits to the area by the colonial gentry took place at this time, which resulted in their desire to acquire some of this rich land for themselves. They saw the area as containing very good grazing land. Captain Henry Waterhouse described the area in a letter to John Macarthur in 1804 as follows: "I am at a loss to describe the face of the country other than as
5292-490: Is usually a few degrees warmer than the Sydney CBD on most spring and summer days. In a few cases there has been a +10-degree differential (this is mostly when northwesterlies bring hot winds from the desert that raise temperatures up to +40 °C (104 °F). However, Prospect is usually a few degrees cooler on most nights of the year, because of its distance from the coast. The highest temperature recorded at Prospect
5439-523: The Appin massacre (April 1816) in which at least 14 Aboriginal people were killed. The New South Wales Legislative Council became a semi-elected body in 1842. Sydney was declared a city the same year, and a governing council established, elected on a restrictive property franchise. The discovery of gold in New South Wales and Victoria in 1851 initially caused economic disruption as men moved to
5586-461: The Australian raven , Australian magpie , crested pigeon , noisy miner and the pied currawong . Introduced bird species ubiquitously found in Sydney are the common myna , common starling , house sparrow and the spotted dove . Reptile species are also numerous and predominantly include skinks . Sydney has a few mammal and spider species, such as the grey-headed flying fox and
5733-465: The Cooks River into Botany Bay. There is no single definition of the boundaries of Sydney. The Australian Statistical Geography Standard definition of Greater Sydney covers 12,369 km (4,776 sq mi) and includes the local government areas of Central Coast in the north, Hawkesbury in the north-west, Blue Mountains in the west, Sutherland Shire in the south, and Wollondilly in
5880-496: The Garden Island Tunnel System , the only tunnel warfare complex in Sydney, and the heritage-listed military fortification systems Bradleys Head Fortification Complex and Middle Head Fortifications , which were part of a total defence system for Sydney Harbour . A post-war immigration and baby boom saw a rapid increase in Sydney's population and the spread of low-density housing in suburbs throughout
6027-659: The Middle East and Africa becoming major sources. By 2021, the population of Sydney was over 5.2 million, with 40% of the population born overseas. China and India overtook England as the largest source countries for overseas-born residents. Sydney is a coastal basin with the Tasman Sea to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River to the north, and the Woronora Plateau to
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6174-795: The Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 km (50 mi) from the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west. Greater Sydney consists of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are colloquially known as "Sydneysiders". The estimated population in June 2023
6321-524: The Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink networks, especially Sydney Trains' North Shore & Western Line . Several bus companies offer connecting services between Prospect and Blacktown, via Blacktown Road . According to the 2021 census, the most common ancestries in Prospect were Australian 19.6%, English 16.4%, Indian 10.3%, Chinese 5.7% and Maltese 5.7%. According to the 2016 census,
6468-610: The Sydney funnel-web , respectively, and has a huge diversity of marine species inhabiting its harbour and beaches. Under the Köppen–Geiger classification , Sydney has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) with "warm, sometimes hot" summers and "generally mild", to "cool" winters. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation , the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Southern Annular Mode play an important role in determining Sydney's weather patterns: drought and bushfire on
6615-645: The University of New South Wales are ranked 18th and 19th in the world respectively. Sydney has hosted major international sporting events such as the 2000 Summer Olympics , the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final , and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Final . The city is among the top fifteen most-visited, with millions of tourists coming each year to see the city's landmarks. The city has over 1,000,000 ha (2,500,000 acres) of nature reserves and parks , and its notable natural features include Sydney Harbour and Royal National Park . The Sydney Harbour Bridge and
6762-624: The University of Sydney (1854–61), the Australian Museum (1858–66), the Town Hall (1868–88), and the General Post Office (1866–92). Elaborate coffee palaces and hotels were erected. Daylight bathing at Sydney's beaches was banned, but segregated bathing at designated ocean baths was popular. Drought, the winding down of public works and a financial crisis led to economic depression in Sydney throughout most of
6909-593: The "Aborigines of Australia" declared 26 January "A Day of Mourning " for "the whiteman's seizure of our country." With the outbreak of Second World War in 1939, Sydney experienced a surge in industrial development. Unemployment virtually disappeared and women moved into jobs previously typically reserved for males. Sydney was attacked by Japanese submarines in May and June 1942 with 21 killed. Households built air raid shelters and performed drills. Military establishments in response to World War II in Australia included
7056-406: The 'Aspasia macarthur'. The gardens and landscape are a combination of the colonial picturesque – which in the Cowpastures area had a decidedly 'arcadian' quality – and the gardenesque . Vistas from the house stretch out to nearby Mount Annan , Mount Gilead, the church spire of St John's at Camden, and the family cemetery. The location of St Johns was carefully surveyed by Sir Thomas Mitchell; from
7203-499: The 1830s onward, the estate played a major role in establishing the wine industry by exporting tens of thousands of vine cuttings to Western Australia , Tasmania and Victoria. During the 1840s, vineyards were planted and the home farm expanded as new buildings were constructed and additions made to the cottage. The estate and family were instrumental in establishing the Australian wine industry. Camden Park became world-renowned for
7350-823: The 1830s onwards, being some of the earliest such work and study done here. Rarer species are held as duplicates by the Herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. William also produced the first hybrid in Australia when he crossed one cape bulb hybridized Crinum x scabropedunculation (C. scabrum South Africa) with a native species parent C. pedunculatum. Joseph Hooker, the Director of the Kew Gardens in London, credited John Carne Bidwill with its creation, although Bidwill himself credited William Macarthur. The extensive vineyards were later destroyed during
7497-627: The 1890s. Meanwhile, the Sydney-based premier of New South Wales, George Reid , became a key figure in the process of federation. When the six colonies federated on 1 January 1901, Sydney became the capital of the State of New South Wales. The spread of bubonic plague in 1900 prompted the state government to modernise the wharves and demolish inner-city slums. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 saw more Sydney males volunteer for
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#17327809555167644-399: The 19th century, including a bauhinia planted by Ludwig Leichhardt , the oldest camellia in the country – the 'anemoniflora' or 'waratah' camellia ( Camellia japonica var. anemoniflora), a Queensland 'bottle tree' and unusual jubaea palms ( Jubaea chilensis ). Camden Park has always been associated with camellias, William having produced the first Australian camellia cultivar here,
7791-522: The 2016 census, 56.4% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were India 4.6%, Philippines 3.1%, Fiji 3.0%, Malta 2.1% and Sri Lanka 2.0%. 50.9% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Arabic 5.7%, Hindi 3.5%, Tamil 3.2%, Gujarati 2.7% and Punjabi 2.6%. The most common responses for religion in Prospect were Catholic 31.1%, No Religion 14.8%, Hinduism 12.3%, Islam 7.0% and Anglican 6.8%. Notable people who have resided in
7938-569: The CBD. In the warm season black nor'easters are usually the cause of heavy rain events, though other forms of low-pressure areas , including remnants of ex-cyclones , may also bring heavy deluge and afternoon thunderstorms. 'Snow' was last alleged in 1836, more than likely a fall of graupel , or soft hail; and in July 2008 the Upper North Shore saw a fall of graupel that was mistaken by many for 'snow'. In 2009, dry conditions brought
8085-606: The Cowpastures for themselves and the Sydney Gazette reported that Mrs King was the first "white lady" to have crossed the Nepean River . By 1804 much of the Cumberland Plain had been settled and King began to look for other regions in the colony for favourable arable land. The only suitable land within the Cumberland Plain was the area known as the Cowpastures, located in the south-western corner. This area
8232-414: The Cumberland Plain. Immigrants—mostly from Britain and continental Europe—and their children accounted for over three-quarters of Sydney's population growth between 1947 and 1971. The newly created Cumberland County Council oversaw low-density residential developments, the largest at Green Valley and Mount Druitt . Older residential centres such as Parramatta, Bankstown and Liverpool became suburbs of
8379-425: The Gandangara people formally welcoming Barallier, John Macarthur had settled down in the best part of their traditional lands to graze sheep. James Macarthur and family members have recounted stories of Aboriginal corroborees near Camden Park in 1839, 1846 and 1850. Moves towards the establishment of Belgenny Farm were first made in 1801, when John Macarthur was exiled to England for causing dissent after fighting
8526-472: The Gandangara people". Evidence of Macarthur's later meeting the Gandangara people is documented in some early records of the "Macarthurs of Camden". When the Privy Council asked Macarthur about "natives" in the area mooted for pastoral land, Macarthur replied that "they come amongst the settlers familiarly, but have no fixed abode, and live upon what they can find for themselves". Within a few years of
8673-846: The Inner West and Northern Sydney , the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub in the coastline and the Blue Gum High Forest scantily present in the North Shore – all of which are critically endangered. The city also includes the Sydney Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland found in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park on the Hornsby Plateau to the north. Sydney is home to dozens of bird species, which commonly include
8820-586: The Macarthurs brought out 42 families and a small number of single men to settle at Camden Park. Each settler was provided with a two-bedroom cottage with a kitchen, small pantry, verandah and a quarter-acre block. The estate and Macarthur family were instrumental (along with Brush Farm, Ryde via Gregory Blaxland and the Sydney Botanic Gardens, via James Busby) in establishing the Australian wine industry. Camden Park became world-renowned for
8967-494: The Macarthurs' Elizabeth Farm, Parramatta, dates from c. 1807 and the first olive trees presented to Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens as a gift of the Macarthurs in 1816 predate the Camden Park olive trees. By 1819 a new cottage had been built at Belgenny, possibly designed by Henry Kitchen, and Macarthur was dividing his time between Camden, Elizabeth Farm and Hambledon Cottage at Parramatta. The following decade
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#17327809555169114-534: The Prospect Hill farmers were the most productive in the colony. Prospect became the boundary between colonists and indigenous Australians. Hostility grew until by 1797, where a state of guerrilla warfare existed between indigenous people and the settler communities at Prospect and Parramatta . The aboriginal people were led by their leader, Pemulwuy , a member of the Bidjigal tribe who occupied
9261-508: The Prospect area. Prospect has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ). Summer weather is warm to hot, and may be humid or dry . Like most of western Sydney, rainfall peaks in late summer to early autumn and more dry conditions occur between late winter and early spring, although rainfall can be erratic. The suburb gets 104.2 clear days annually, with the most sunniest days being in August (13.2) and least in February (5.0 days). Prospect
9408-593: The Sydney area occupied land with traditional boundaries. There is debate, however, about which group or nation these clans belonged to, and the extent of differences in language and rites. The major groups were the coastal Eora people, the Dharug (Darug) occupying the inland area from Parramatta to the Blue Mountains, and the Dharawal people south of Botany Bay. Darginung and Gundungurra languages were spoken on
9555-442: The Sydney region are grassy woodlands (i.e. savannas ) and some pockets of dry sclerophyll forests, which consist of eucalyptus trees, casuarinas , melaleucas , corymbias and angophoras , with shrubs (typically wattles , callistemons , grevilleas and banksias ), and a semi-continuous grass in the understory . The plants in this community tend to have rough, spiky leaves due to low soil fertility . Sydney also features
9702-568: The Union Jack 165 years earlier, commencing her Australian Royal Tour . It was the first time a reigning monarch stepped onto Australian soil. Increasing high-rise development in Sydney and the expansion of suburbs beyond the "green belt" envisaged by the planners of the 1950s resulted in community protests. In the early 1970s, trade unions and resident action groups imposed green bans on development projects in historic areas such as The Rocks. Federal, State and local governments introduced heritage and environmental legislation. The Sydney Opera House
9849-536: The United Kingdom, Vietnam and the Philippines. Despite being one of the most expensive cities in the world, Sydney frequently ranks in the top ten most liveable cities . It is classified as an Alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , indicating its influence in the region and throughout the world. Ranked eleventh in the world for economic opportunity, Sydney has an advanced market economy with strengths in education, finance, manufacturing and tourism . The University of Sydney and
9996-440: The Upper Nepean River catchment, with water feeding into a series of tunnels, canals and aqueducts known as the Upper Canal. It was intended that water be fed by gravity from the catchment into a reservoir at Prospect. This scheme was to be Sydney's fourth water supply system, following the Tank Stream , Busby's Bore and the Botany (Lachlan) Swamps. Designed and constructed by the NSW Public Works Department , Prospect Reservoir
10143-409: The World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House are major tourist attractions. Central Station is the hub of Sydney's suburban train, metro and light rail networks and longer-distance services. The main passenger airport serving the city is Kingsford Smith Airport , one of the world's oldest continually operating airports. In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip , the first governor of New South Wales, named
10290-516: The area thought to have been the site of this and other huts was the subject of an archaeological dig in 2009. From 1809 to 1817, John Macarthur left Australia as a result of his pivotal involvement in the revolt that overthrew Governor William Bligh , the so-called Rum Rebellion . His wife Elizabeth managed his extensive pastoral interests in his absence. While in Europe, Macarthur studied agriculture and viticulture, and toured on foot throughout France with his sons James and William . John Macarthur
10437-420: The armed forces than the Commonwealth authorities could process, and helped reduce unemployment. Those returning from the war in 1918 were promised "homes fit for heroes" in new suburbs such as Daceyville and Matraville. "Garden suburbs" and mixed industrial and residential developments also grew along the rail and tram corridors. The population reached one million in 1926, after Sydney had regained its position as
10584-568: The arrival of the British, there were 4,000 to 8,000 Aboriginal people in the greater Sydney region. The inhabitants subsisted on fishing, hunting, and gathering plants and shellfish. The diet of the coastal clans was more reliant on seafood whereas hinterland clans ate more forest animals and plants. The clans had distinctive equipment and weapons mostly made of stone, wood, plant materials, bone and shell. They also differed in their body decorations, hairstyles, songs and dances. Aboriginal clans had
10731-422: The coastal region. The rising sea level between 18,000 and 6,000 years ago flooded the rias to form estuaries and deep harbours. Port Jackson, better known as Sydney Harbour, is one such ria . Sydney features two major soil types: sandy soils (which originate from the Hawkesbury sandstone) and clay (which are from shales and volcanic rocks ), though some soils may be a mixture of the two. Directly overlying
10878-532: The cove where the first British settlement was established Sydney Cove after Home Secretary Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney . The cove was called Warrane by the Aboriginal inhabitants. Phillip considered naming the settlement Albion , but this name was never officially used. By 1790 Phillip and other officials were regularly calling the township Sydney. Sydney was declared a city in 1842. The Gadigal (Cadigal) clan, whose territory stretches along
11025-411: The culling season in the original hut while she managed the property. Governor and Mrs Macquarie stayed there during their visit in 1810 and described the hut as "small and miserable". By 1813, the Camden Park flock had increased to 4033 and a wool store had been built to house the clip. John Macarthur, who had arrived in the colony of New South Wales in 1790 had quarrelled with successive Governors . He
11172-546: The demolition of buildings erected on Crown land, including some owned by past and serving military officers. The resulting conflict culminated in the Rum Rebellion of 1808, in which Bligh was deposed by the New South Wales Corps . Governor Lachlan Macquarie (1810–1821) played a leading role in the development of Sydney and New South Wales, establishing a bank, a currency and a hospital. He employed
11319-446: The dominant economic pattern. By 1875, many of the tenants were given notice to quit as a result of falling agricultural prices and changing trends in farming. There were 19 tenants on the estate when William Macarthur died in 1882, increasing to 73 by 1885. In 1889 management was taken over by Onslow and Thompson, who had plans for renovating and repairing the buildings. The estate had become a little run-down and required repairs to all of
11466-442: The earliest settlers largely appear to have been removed by this stage. By the time that any mapping was undertaken in this vicinity, most of these structures had disappeared, making their locations difficult to pinpoint. On 30 January 2004 the eastern part of Prospect, which includes the quarry gap, became a new suburb called Pemulwuy after the indigenous leader, containing the new housing estates of Lakeside and Nelson's Ridge and
11613-412: The early 1850s the railway line from Sydney to Goulburn was completed, with a station opening at Campbelltown in 1858. When Leppington House was offered for lease in 1865, one of its selling points was that it was near a railway. Campbelltown now provided easy access to Sydney and its markets and grew as the centre of the district. Although Camden was established in 1836, with no railway line it remained
11760-427: The eastern coast of Australia, making landfall at Botany Bay . In 1788, the First Fleet of convicts , led by Arthur Phillip , founded Sydney as a British penal colony , the first European settlement in Australia. After World War II, Sydney experienced mass migration and by 2021 over 40 per cent of the population was born overseas. Foreign countries of birth with the greatest representation are mainland China, India,
11907-522: The emigration of free British settlers to New South Wales. Immigration to the colony increased from 900 free settlers in 1826–30 to 29,000 in 1836–40, many of whom settled in Sydney. By the 1840s Sydney exhibited a geographic divide between poor and working-class residents living west of the Tank Stream in areas such as The Rocks , and the more affluent residents living to its east. Free settlers, free-born residents and former convicts now represented
12054-429: The estate, with the orchard surviving until the 1970s. A single "Gravenstein" apple tree is all that now remains, and it is perhaps the oldest surviving apple tree in Australia. A camellia japonica "Anemoniflora" (anemone flowered / waratah form) bush survives at Camden Park house today, and is possibly the oldest surviving camellia plant in Australia. John Gould Veitch, esteemed English nurseryman described Camden Park on
12201-717: The first crops failed, leading to several years of hunger and strict rationing. The food crisis was relieved with the arrival of the Second Fleet in mid-1790 and the Third Fleet in 1791. Former convicts received small grants of land, and government and private farms spread to the more fertile lands around Parramatta , Windsor and Camden on the Cumberland Plain . By 1804, the colony was self-sufficient in food. A smallpox epidemic in April 1789 killed about half
12348-407: The first improvements Macarthur made to the property was the construction of a small hut on a ridge at Benkennie (Belgenny). Contemporary illustrations show it to have been a simple slab hut with a bark roof and a chimney on one side. It was located a short distance from the present Belgenny Cottage. However, disputes continued between Macarthur and Bligh over the control of the rum trade and its use as
12495-466: The fringes of the Sydney area. The first meeting between Aboriginals and British explorers occurred on 29 April 1770 when Lieutenant James Cook landed at Botany Bay (Kamay ) and encountered the Gweagal clan. Two Gweagal men opposed the landing party and one was shot and wounded. Cook and his crew stayed at Botany Bay for a week, collecting water, timber, fodder and botanical specimens and exploring
12642-700: The goldfields. Melbourne soon overtook Sydney as Australia's largest city, leading to an enduring rivalry between the two. However, increased immigration from overseas and wealth from gold exports increased demand for housing, consumer goods, services and urban amenities. The New South Wales government also stimulated growth by investing heavily in railways, trams, roads, ports, telegraph, schools and urban services. The population of Sydney and its suburbs grew from 95,600 in 1861 to 386,900 in 1891. The city developed many of its characteristic features. The growing population packed into rows of terrace houses in narrow streets. New public buildings of sandstone abounded, including at
12789-436: The horse stud was gone. Governor Macquarie drew up plans in 1820 for establishment of a town in the area, to be named Campbelltown after his wife Elizabeth's maiden name. With their forced return to England in 1822 these plans never came to fruition and it was not until the arrival of Governor Darling in 1827 that plans were again reinstated and the first settlers were allowed to take possession of their town land in 1831. In
12936-532: The house carriage loop the spire is symmetrically framed by the distant Mountains Hunter and Taurus, earning the church the local quip 'built to the glory of God and to enhance the view of the Macarthurs'. Although the export of ornamental garden plants was not one of Camden Park's major industries, nursery catalogues reveal that cultivars from Camden Park were being sent to Rules Nursery, St Kilda, Victoria , as late as 1852. William encouraged winemaking and brought out several German vignerons and their families. From
13083-503: The house. "Camden Park is famed for its wine. Extensive vineyards are under cultivation. The principal grapes grown are those from Germany. The wine is made by men from the Rhenish wine districts. In 1866 Veitch referred to Macarthur in "The Gardeners Chronicle" as NSW's most prominent amateur botanist and his collection of plants and fruits as "by far the finest I have seen in the colony". William, in conjunction with John Carne Bidwill,
13230-481: The industrial area within the oval-shaped ridge of Prospect Hill. So most of Prospect Hill is no longer within the suburb of Prospect. Quarrying companies gradually took over more and more of Prospect Hill, mining the dolerite for use as roadstone until it was almost all gone and much of the hill with it. The Prospect quarry, which is now part of Pemulwuy, is formed by an intrusion of dolerite rock into Ashfield Shale . At least seven different rock types occur in
13377-505: The inland location, frost is recorded early in the morning in Western Sydney a few times in winter. Autumn and spring are the transitional seasons, with spring showing a larger temperature variation than autumn. Sydney experiences an urban heat island effect. This makes certain parts of the city more vulnerable to extreme heat, including coastal suburbs. In late spring and summer, temperatures over 35 °C (95 °F) are not uncommon, though hot, dry conditions are usually ended by
13524-450: The international phylloxera outbreak of the 1870s. On a hill directly facing the front of the house is the family mausoleum where John and Elizabeth Macarthur and most of their children are buried; a painting by Conrad Martens in the house collection depicts the structure. Members of the family in the direct line are still buried here. The graveyard is an excellent example of colonial arcadian landscaping, with exotic Chinese elms dominating
13671-405: The intrusion. The material is predominantly coarse grained picrite with olivine-dolerite and dolerite. Quarrying in the area last occurred in 2007. In the early 2010s, the 330ha quarry gap was transformed into light industry area. Prospect Highway now winds through the gap. Prospect has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Philip Gidley King mentions that the landscape of Prospect
13818-422: The land and threshing and dressing machines were ordered from local merchants. In 1824 a two-hectare (four-point-nine-acre) house site had been fenced off and a dairy had been built which employed 14 dairymaids and 23 shepherds. This implies that there were a number of dwellings for the estate workers in existence at this time. A further 4,208 hectares (10,400 acres) were added to the estate holdings in 1825 expanding
13965-482: The land. Pemulwuy was the main leader of raids against the colony in the 1790s. In 1797 the war escalated; his guerrillas started regular raids on settlements in the Parramatta and Prospect Hill areas. British military expeditions failed to locate and capture Pemulwuy. Shortly after 1808, William Lawson was appointed aide-de-camp to George Johnston , was granted 500 acres (2.0 km ) at Prospect and built
14112-556: The main body of insurgents were routed by about 100 troops and volunteers at Rouse Hill . At least 39 convicts were killed in the uprising and subsequent executions. As the colony spread to the more fertile lands around the Hawkesbury River , north-west of Sydney, conflict between the settlers and the Darug people intensified, reaching a peak from 1794 to 1810. Bands of Darug people, led by Pemulwuy and later by his son Tedbury , burned crops, killed livestock and raided settler stores in
14259-405: The major holdings. During the 1890s, all Camden Park Estate roads were re-laid and edged with new fence posts and rail stock fences. Planted along all the estate fencing were miles of hedges. China monthly rose had been originally introduced by John Macarthur to Elizabeth Farm Parramatta in 1848. This was probably Rosa Chinensis, "Parson's China monthly". In 1898, a cream separator was installed and
14406-403: The management of the estate after his father's death and was responsible for the introduction and hybridization of many exotic plant species, and experiments with new agricultural methods. William was also committed to commercial and scientific agriculture and horticulture and purchased a considerable amount of farm machinery in Europe. Between 1837 and 1839, a commercial dairy was established and
14553-462: The metropolis. Manufacturing, protected by high tariffs, employed over a third of the workforce from 1945 to the 1960s. However, as the long post-war economic boom progressed, retail and other service industries became the main source of new jobs. An estimated one million onlookers, most of the city's population, watched Queen Elizabeth II land in 1954 at Farm Cove where Captain Phillip had raised
14700-414: The most common ancestries in Prospect were English 15.8%, Australian 15.7%, Indian 6.4%, Maltese 5.3% and Irish 4.8%. 53.7% of people were born in Australia. The other most common countries of birth were India 7.4%, Philippines 3.3%, Fiji 2.9%, Sri Lanka 2.3% and New Zealand 1.9%. 23.9% of people had both parents born in Australia and 62.2% of people had both parents born overseas. According to
14847-531: The most famous. The Nepean River wraps around the western edge of the city and becomes the Hawkesbury River before reaching Broken Bay . Most of Sydney's water storages can be found on tributaries of the Nepean River. The Parramatta River is mostly industrial and drains a large area of Sydney's western suburbs into Port Jackson. The southern parts of the city are drained by the Georges River and
14994-544: The most populous city in Australia. The government created jobs with massive public projects such as the electrification of the Sydney rail network and building the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Sydney was more severely affected by the Great Depression of the 1930s than regional New South Wales or Melbourne. New building almost came to a standstill, and by 1933 the unemployment rate for male workers
15141-562: The navy. The First Fleet of 11 ships under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in Botany Bay in January 1788. It comprised more than a thousand settlers, including 736 convicts. The fleet soon moved to the more suitable Port Jackson where a settlement was established at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. The colony of New South Wales was formally proclaimed by Governor Phillip on 7 February 1788. Sydney Cove offered
15288-641: The older Hawkesbury sandstone is the Wianamatta shale , a geological feature found in western Sydney that was deposited in connection with a large river delta during the Middle Triassic . The Wianamatta shale generally comprises fine grained sedimentary rocks such as shales, mudstones , ironstones , siltstones and laminites , with less common sandstone units. The Wianamatta Group is made up of Bringelly Shale , Minchinbury Sandstone and Ashfield Shale . The most prevalent plant communities in
15435-453: The oldest surviving camellia plant in Australia. With the publication of Catalogue of Plants Cultivated at Camden, 1845, it is apparent that the introduction, hybridization, distribution and export of ornamental garden plants was becoming a growing industry. Of particular interest to the colony's growing plant industry was mention of new varieties of hibiscus and camellia being hybridised at Camden Park. The first hibiscus to be introduced to NSW
15582-569: The one hand, and storms and flooding on the other, associated with the opposite phases of the oscillation in Australia . The weather is moderated by proximity to the ocean, and more extreme temperatures are recorded in the inland western suburbs because Sydney CBD is more affected by the oceanic climate drivers than the western suburbs. At Sydney's primary weather station at Observatory Hill , extreme temperatures have ranged from 45.8 °C (114.4 °F) on 18 January 2013 to 2.1 °C (35.8 °F) on 22 June 1932. An average of 14.9 days
15729-653: The opposition to Governor Bligh and devoted himself to farming and commercial activities. Macarthur received the first land grant in the Cowpastures region in 1805 for his role in the early wool industry in the colony. Lord Camden rewarded him with 4,047 hectares (10,000 acres) and Macarthur chose the highly coveted Cowpastures for his grant, though Governor King tried to prevent him taking it. Macarthur also organised an 809-hectare (2,000-acre) grant for his friend Walter Davidson, who allowed Macarthur to use his land freely after Davidson returned to England. In this manner Macarthur controlled 19 kilometres (12 mi) of riverbank on
15876-490: The planting. The gardens surrounding Camden Park are the largest and most intact Australian early colonial garden in existence. They are largely the creation of Sir William Macarthur, who was a keen botanist and horticulturalist and operated a sizeable commercial nursery from the estate. Old catalogues of plants for sale from the Camden Nursery provide an idea as to the contents of colonial gardens. Many trees date from
16023-517: The possibility of an Australian wine industry. Blaxland certainly knew of the grape varieties brought back to Australia in 1817 by John, James and William Macarthur and of their plantings at Camden Park. But their first vintage was not until 1824. John Macarthur returned from England in 1817 with his two sons, James and William, and began to expand the productivity of the farm by introducing vine cuttings, olive trees and various seeds and agricultural implements purchased overseas. However an olive tree at
16170-584: The property to an area covering over 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres), with an additional 400 hectares under lease. In 1825 James Busby wrote the first of a number of books on viticulture and wine making. In 1833, he brought 437 grape cuttings back to NSW and made these widely available (through the Botanic Gardens, Sydney). Busby, who had been trained in vineyard management, grape varieties and wine making in France, referred to Mr Blaxland's vineyard as being
16317-439: The property, occupying more than 80 hectares. From the end of the 1840s, the sheep stud decreased in importance and grain crops emerged as a staple. Part of the sheep flock was sold to William Campbell in 1846, who moved this stock to his Victorian property, and the remainder of the flock was sold in 1849. By the late 1850s there were approximately 160 farms on the estate. The sale of livestock continued up until 1856 when most of
16464-469: The quality of its wine. Camden Park played a vital role in the fledgling Australian wine industry through its importation and distribution of vine cuttings throughout NSW and the Barossa Valley of SA. By 1853 Camden Park listed some 33 grape varieties for sale. By 1841 William & James were producing more than 5000 gallons and that vintage won gold medals in England. In 1844 24,000 vine cuttings were sent from Camden Park to Adelaide, setting South Australia on
16611-446: The quality of its wine. It played a vital role in the fledgling Australian wine industry through its importation and distribution of vine cuttings throughout NSW and the Barossa Valley of SA. By 1841 William & James were producing more than 23,000 litres; 6,000 US gallons (5,000 imp gal) and that wintage won gold medals in England. In 1844 24,000 vine cuttings were sent from Camden Park to Adelaide , setting South Australia on
16758-604: The region's Indigenous population. In November 1790 Bennelong led a group of survivors of the Sydney clans into the settlement, establishing a continuous presence of Aboriginal Australians in settled Sydney. Phillip had been given no instructions for urban development, but in July 1788 submitted a plan for the new town at Sydney Cove . It included a wide central avenue, a permanent Government House, law courts, hospital and other public buildings, but no provision for warehouses, shops, or other commercial buildings. Phillip promptly ignored his own plan, and unplanned development became
16905-421: The river flats. During the 1830s, orchards, tobacco and vegetable crops were established and a mechanical irrigation system installed. Camden House was built between 1832 and 1835 but Belgenny remained the agricultural focus of the estate. It was here that John Macarthur lived out the final years of his life. He died in 1834 and was buried in the family cemetery located on a nearby hill. William Macarthur took over
17052-519: The road. This land use pattern of large farm estates and small towns, established in the nineteenth century, remained largely the pattern of development of the area up until the late 1990s. Aerial photographs of the area in 1947 show a rural landscape with some limited urban development on either side of (then) Camden Valley Way. During the 1860s, crop disease caused the decline of grain as a principal economic unit. Mixed farming based on horticulture, wine, mixed grain and agistment of cattle and sheep became
17199-577: The site where the wild cattle had first discovered the best pasture near Sydney. Later purchases and exchanges increased the Macarthur land there to over 10,927 hectares (27,000 acres), an endowment that Governor Macquarie greatly resented. Other early grants were in the Parishes of Minto and in adjoining Evan, Bringelly , Narellan and Cook. These all lay west of Parramatta. James Macarthur and family members have recounted stories of Aboriginal corroborees near Camden Park in 1839, 1846 and 1850. One of
17346-476: The soil unsuitable for farming and soon looked towards the heavy clay and loam soils of the Cumberland Plain (to the west) to sustain the colony. Early agricultural settlements were located on the rich alluvial soils of the Nepean, Hawkesbury and Georges River areas, as well as South Creek near St Marys and at the head of the Parramatta River where the settlement of Rose Hill (later Parramatta )
17493-469: The south-west. The local government area of the City of Sydney covers about 26 square kilometres from Garden island in the east to Bicentennial Park in the west, and south to the suburbs of Alexandria and Rosebery . Sydney is made up of mostly Triassic rock with some recent igneous dykes and volcanic necks (typically found in the Prospect dolerite intrusion , west of Sydney). The Sydney Basin
17640-534: The south. Sydney spans two geographic regions. The Cumberland Plain lies to the south and west of the Harbour and is relatively flat. The Hornsby Plateau is located to the north and is dissected by steep valleys. The flat areas of the south were the first to be developed; it was not until the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge that the northern reaches became more heavily populated. Seventy surf beaches can be found along its coastline, with Bondi Beach being
17787-442: The southern shore of Port Jackson from South Head to Darling Harbour , are the traditional owners of the land on which the British settlement was initially established, and call their territory Gadi ( Cadi ). Aboriginal clan names within the Sydney region were often formed by adding the suffix "-gal" to a word denoting the name for their territory, a specific place in their territory, a food source, or totem. Greater Sydney covers
17934-654: The strayed cattle discovered them in an area they promptly named "Cowpastures". The Cowpastures remained unoccupied due to the official decree that reserved the land for the wild cattle (to encourage their increase). This area was the traditional land of the Gandangara people. The earliest recorded contact between Europeans and Aboriginal people in this area was described by the French explorer, Francis Barrallier in 1802. Travelling through Cowpastures with his party, Barrallier recorded in his journal that "he met and befriended
18081-533: The surrounding area. Cook sought to establish relations with the Aboriginal population without success. Britain had been sending convicts to its American colonies for most of the eighteenth century, and the loss of these colonies in 1783 was the impetus to establish a penal colony at Botany Bay. Proponents of colonisation also pointed to the strategic importance of a new base in the Asia-Pacific region and its potential to provide much-needed timber and flax for
18228-439: The temperature seem colder than it actually is . Rainfall has a moderate to low variability and has historically been fairly uniform throughout the year, although in recent years it has been more summer-dominant and erratic. Precipitation is usually higher in summer through to autumn, and lower in late winter to early spring. In late autumn and winter, east coast lows may bring large amounts of rainfall, especially in
18375-641: The tenant farmers. 387 hectares (960 acres) of land were reserved around the house and the remainder became Camden Park Estate Ltd. During the 1900s, new milk and hay sheds were erected. Land sales and subdivisions paid for the construction of a new dam and underground water tank. Between then and 1920, more cottages were built on the estate, a number of timber silos were built and a second dam constructed. A 1919 Royal Agricultural Society plaque honouring twelve agricultural pioneers includes Gregory Blaxland along with Sir Joseph Banks , John Macarthur, Samuel Marsden , James Busby, Alexander Berry and others. In 1921
18522-509: The traditional lands of 28 known Aboriginal clans. The first people to inhabit the area now known as Sydney were Aboriginal Australians who had migrated from southeast Asia via northern Australia. Flaked pebbles found in Western Sydney's gravel sediments might indicate human occupation from 45,000 to 50,000 years ago, while radiocarbon dating has shown evidence of human activity in the region from around 30,000 years ago. Prior to
18669-480: The vast majority of the population of Sydney, leading to increasing public agitation for responsible government and an end to transportation. Transportation to New South Wales ceased in 1840. In 1804, Irish convicts led around 300 rebels in the Castle Hill Rebellion , an attempt to march on Sydney, commandeer a ship, and sail to freedom. Poorly armed, and with their leader Philip Cunningham captured,
18816-401: Was 28 per cent, but over 40 per cent in working class areas such as Alexandria and Redfern. Many families were evicted from their homes and shanty towns grew along coastal Sydney and Botany Bay, the largest being "Happy Valley" at La Perouse . The Depression also exacerbated political divisions. In March 1932, when populist Labor premier Jack Lang attempted to open the Sydney Harbour Bridge he
18963-673: Was 45.1 °C (113.2 °F) on 7 January 2018. The lowest temperature recorded was −0.8 °C (30.6 °F) on 30 June 2010. Annually, there are 3.2 days where temperatures go below 2 °C. Prospect is adjacent to the Great Western Highway and the M4 Motorway , providing road access to the western sections of the city and eastward to the Sydney CBD. The Prospect Highway links Prospect to central Blacktown . Blacktown railway station provides access to
19110-665: Was 5,450,496, which is about 66% of the state's population. The city's nicknames include the Emerald City and the Harbour City . Aboriginal Australians have inhabited the Greater Sydney region for at least 30,000 years, and their engravings and cultural sites are common. The traditional custodians of the land on which modern Sydney stands are the clans of the Darug , Dharawal and Eora peoples. During his first Pacific voyage in 1770, James Cook charted
19257-618: Was allowed to return to the colony in 1817 on condition that he no longer participate in public affairs. He turned his attentions to developing his considerable estates, and the merino flocks which he had moved to Camden Park. In 1816, the Royal Society for the Arts in England had offered medals for wine from New South Wales. As early as that year, Blaxland (at Brush Farm in Ryde ) was sending wine to Governor Macquarie to keep him informed about
19404-411: Was also controversial for its cost and disputes between architect Jørn Utzon and government officials. However, soon after it opened in 1973 it became a major tourist attraction and symbol of the city. The progressive reduction in tariff protection from 1974 began the transformation of Sydney from a manufacturing centre to a "world city". From the 1980s, overseas immigration grew rapidly, with Asia ,
19551-439: Was an import of a single "red" by John Macarthur. The hybrid of this hibiscus became known as H. x camdenii. Macarthur introduced at least a thousand varieties of new plants and from 1843, the Macarthurs published an annual catalogue of their plants. Exports were also listed in this publication, with the 1845 edition noting that William Macarthur sent two hybrid coral trees known as "Erythrina camdenensis" to Conrad Loddiges and Sons,
19698-456: Was built c. 1826 with a number of other buildings, including modifications to the stables. These were originally two separate buildings that were joined to form one continuous building. In 1827 the community was provided with a place of worship, possibly made to serve later as a school. At the end of this decade the property was fenced. Livestock included sheep, horses, cattle and dairy cows. Crops included maize and wheat which grew along
19845-736: Was built during the 1880s and completed in 1888. Credit for the Upper Nepean Scheme is largely given to Edward Orpen Moriarty , the Engineer in Chief of the Harbours and Rivers Branch of the Public Works Department from 1858 to 1888. By the 1870s, with the collapse of the production of cereal grains across the Cumberland Plain, the Prospect Hill area appears to have largely been devoted to livestock. The dwellings of
19992-493: Was demolished in 1926. Nelson Lawson , third son of explorer William Lawson (1774–1850), married Honoria Mary Dickinson and before 1837 built "Greystanes House" as their future family home on the western side of Prospect Hill. Greystanes was approached by a long drive lined with an avenue of English trees – elms ( Ulmus procera ), hawthorns ( Crataegus sp. ), holly ( Ilex aquifolium ), and woodbine ( Clematis sp. ) mingling with jacarandas ( Jacaranda mimosifolia ). It had
20139-597: Was demolished in the 1940s. The land was farmed from 1806 to 1888 when the Prospect Reservoir was built. In 1867, the Governor of New South Wales appointed a Commission to recommend a scheme for Sydney's water supply, and by 1869 it was recommended that construction commence on the Upper Nepean Scheme . This consisted of two diversion weirs, located at Pheasant's Nest and Broughton's Pass, in
20286-407: Was donating oleanders and cape bulbs to the gardens from 1827. He also imported Australia's second consignment of camellias from England on the ship Sovereign in 1831, the first being imported from England by Alexander Macleay of Elizabeth Bay House and Brownlow Hill in 1826. A camellia japonica "Anemoniflora" or "Red waratah" bush still survives at Camden Park House garden today and is possibly
20433-568: Was established about six months after the fleet landed. A settlement at the Hawkesbury was established in 1794. The first European settlers in the Camden area were the cattle that escaped from Sydney Cove in 1788 and found their way to the lush pastures of the Wianamatta Shale region. It was the loss of these cattle that led to the discovery of this fertile landscape in 1795, when a party sent by Governor Hunter to investigate rumours of
20580-477: Was forced to return to England to face trial for duelling (the charges were dismissed). While he was there, he gained the patronage of, among others, the Colonial Secretary, Lord Camden . Camden supported Macarthur and ordered Governor King to grant Macarthur 5,000 acres (20 km) at a location of his own choosing. In 1805 when Macarthur returned to Sydney he choose the fertile 'Cowpastures', which
20727-514: Was formed in the early Triassic period. The sand that was to become the sandstone of today was laid down between 360 and 200 million years ago. The sandstone has shale lenses and fossil riverbeds. The Sydney Basin bioregion includes coastal features of cliffs, beaches, and estuaries. Deep river valleys known as rias were carved during the Triassic period in the Hawkesbury sandstone of
20874-755: Was inhabited by different groups of the Darug people including the Warmuli. The Aboriginals there were of the woods culture. As European settlement expanded, the aboriginal people's ability to pursue their traditional lifestyle, which was already severely limited, disappeared. Prospect Hill had been the frontier, which was the first, and perhaps only, area where large scale organised resistance by aboriginal people took place. Lieutenant Watkin Tench most likely named Prospect Hill in April 1790. In July 1791, thirteen grants of land at Prospect were made to emancipated convicts. In January 1794 David Collins reported that
21021-435: Was involved with plant hybridization including roses, camellias, gladioli, cape bulbs and gesneriads such as African violets. He actively corresponded with botanists in England, Europe, America and India, exchanging plants and seeds. The Macarthurs compiled a collection of botanical specimens (about 100 survive) both of plants on the estate and from the district. This collection represents amateur botany and curation from at least
21168-548: Was named after the discovery in 1795 of cows from the first fleet which had wandered off into the bush. The track to the Cowpastures led from Prospect and on 17 September 1805 James Meehan, under instructions from Governor King, commenced a survey of the track from Prospect to the Nepean Crossing and a rough road followed the marked line. This became known as Cowpasture Road, later the Hume Highway , most of which
21315-505: Was prosperous for the family with their wool receiving record prices and prizes. Belgenny was the centre of operations for the Camden estate and its importance increased as the family's pastoral and agricultural activities were concentrated on the estate. An additional 4,170 hectares (10,300 acres) were granted to the family in four separate parcels with a further 400 hectares (990 acres) rented. Clearing and burning programs were begun to prepare
21462-485: Was the first area beyond the Nepean River to be settled. King grudgingly acceded to Lord Camden's wishes, and the grant was verified in 1806. Macarthur named his new property 'Camden Park' in honour of his patron. Amongst the first structures to be built at Camden Park was a slab and bark hut , referred to as the 'miserable hut' by Governor Macquarie . Located to the immediate North of the Belgenny Farm complex,
21609-550: Was upstaged by Francis de Groot of the far-right New Guard , who slashed the ribbon with a sabre. In January 1938, Sydney celebrated the Empire Games and the sesquicentenary of European settlement in Australia. One journalist wrote, "Golden beaches. Sun tanned men and maidens...Red-roofed villas terraced above the blue waters of the harbour...Even Melbourne seems like some grey and stately city of Northern Europe compared with Sydney's sub-tropical splendours." A congress of
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