Willowgrove - Parramatta - NSW

Willow Grove (often styled Willowgrove) was a Victorian Italianate villa at 34 Phillip Street, Parramatta — a familiar piece of the civic riverfront streetscape for generations, set back behind that cast-iron fence and stone gate posts that locals could pick at a glance. Built as a private house on the Parramatta River foreshore, it later sat squarely in the path of the Powerhouse Museum Parramatta project.

In 2021 the villa was dismantled to clear the site. The former NSW Government had promised relocation and reconstruction elsewhere; sandstone, bricks and architectural elements were catalogued and stored. Heritage advocates, including the National Trust (NSW), argued that dismantling was effectively demolition and that an “authentic” rebuild was not conservation in any meaningful sense.

In 2023 the Minns Government announced it would not proceed with a costly rebuild, citing heritage advice that a replica would be “fake heritage.” Attention shifted to interpreting the Powerhouse site’s layered history (including Willow Grove), advice on reuse of salvaged materials, and other Parramatta priorities such as the Roxy Theatre.

Further reading: Willowgrove Biggest Bungle

 

Bathurst - NSW 

Bathurst is a regional city located in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. It has a rich and diverse history that dates back to the early days of European settlement. Here's an overview of the history of Bathurst:

1. Indigenous History: Prior to European arrival, the Bathurst region was inhabited by the Wiradjuri Aboriginal people. They had a deep connection to the land and utilized the area's natural resources for thousands of years.

2. European Exploration: In 1813, surveyor George William Evans led an expedition into the region, exploring the area around Bathurst. He reported back to Governor Lachlan Macquarie about the fertile plains and abundance of water, which prompted further exploration and settlement.

3. Early Settlement: In 1815, Governor Macquarie approved the establishment of a settlement at Bathurst, making it one of the earliest inland European settlements in Australia. The town was initially known as Bathurst Plains and was primarily intended as a center for agriculture and farming.

4. Gold Rush Era: In 1851, gold was discovered in nearby areas, including the iconic Ophir Goldfields near Bathurst. The discovery sparked a gold rush, leading to a significant influx of people seeking their fortune. Bathurst became a vibrant hub for gold mining activities and saw rapid growth and development during this time.

5. Infrastructure Development: As Bathurst expanded, various infrastructure projects were undertaken. In 1837, the first courthouse was built, and in 1847, the town's first hospital was established. Bathurst also became an important transportation hub, with the construction of roads, bridges, and the arrival of the railway in 1876.

6. Education and Culture: Bathurst has a strong educational heritage. In 1874, Charles Sturt University (formerly known as Mitchell College of Advanced Education) was established, making it one of the oldest tertiary institutions in regional Australia. Bathurst is also known for its cultural institutions, including the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery and the annual Bathurst 1000 car race at Mount Panorama Circuit.

7. Contemporary Bathurst: Today, Bathurst is a thriving regional city with a diverse economy. It serves as a major center for education, healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing in the region. Bathurst maintains its historic charm, with many heritage-listed buildings and sites preserved and celebrated.

Bathurst's history is interwoven with the stories of early explorers, gold prospectors, settlers, and the indigenous Wiradjuri people. The city's rich past is evident in its architecture, cultural institutions, and ongoing efforts to preserve its heritage.

Proclamation Day 2022

Bathurst In Autumn 2022

150th Anniversary of Settlement in Australia – Sydney Morning Herald

 

 150th Anniversary Liftout From The Sydney Morning Herald 

The Sydney Herald was first published in 1831 and adopted the name The Sydney Morning Herald in 1851. The 150th anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet was marked in 1938. This newspaper liftout records how that anniversary was presented to Australian readers.

Birth Of Captain Cook

Born on this day 

Wednesday, October 27, 1728. :   Captain James Cook, who charted Australia's eastern coastline, is born. 

     James Cook was born at Marton in North Yorkshire, on 27 October 1728. He was the son of a farm labourer, and held no great ambitions, being apprenticed in a grocer/haberdashery when he was 16. Lack of aptitude in the trade led his employer to introduce Cook to local shipowners, who took him on as a merchant navy apprentice. Here he was educated in algebra, trigonometry, navigation, and astronomy, which later set Cook up to command his own ship.

After working his way up to positions of greater responsibility and experience, Cook was hired in 1766 by the Royal Society to travel to the Pacific Ocean to observe and record the transit of Venus across the Sun. Following this, Cook's next orders were to search the south Pacific for Terra Australis Incognita, the great southern continent that many believed must extend around the southern pole. He came across New Zealand, which Abel Tasman had discovered in 1642, and spent some months there, charting the coastline. Nearly a year later, Cook set sail west for New Holland, which was later to become Australia

An Account Of An English Colony In New South Wales

QAn Account Of An English Colony In New South Wales - Volume 1 

With Remarka On The Dispositions, Customs, Manners Etc Of The Native Inhabitants Of That Country. 

David Collins (1756 - 1810)

David Collins Sailed Out On The First Fleet With Arrhur Phillip And The Other Ships on the SIRIUS

His Warrant Was To Be Judge Advocate Under The Lieutenant General Or Commander In Chief Arrhur Phillip.  

David Collins Wrote In His Journal - 

"The Spot Chosen, Was At The Head Of The Cove, Near The Run Of Fresh Water, Which Stole Silently Through A Very Thick Wood; The Stillness Of Which Had Then, For The First Time Since Creation, Been Interrupted By The Rude Sound Of The Labourer's Axe... And The Downfall Of Its Ancient Inhabitants. A Stillness And Tranquility Which; From That Day Were To Surrender And Give Way To The Voice Of Labour... And The Confusion Of Camps And Towns..."

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