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Belgenny Farm
Elizabeth Macarthur Ave, Camden
Ph: (02) 4654 6800
| belgenny@industry.nsw.gov.au
| www.belgennyfarm.com.au
| The home farm of John and Elizabeth Macarthur dates back to 1805. This wonderful picturesque setting includes Belgenny Cottage built in 1820 and the oldest surviving collection of farm buildings in Australia.
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John and Elizabeth Macarthur established convict-built Belgenny Farm on part of the original 5000 acres granted to the family by Lord Camden in 1805. Ranked among Australia’s great agricultural pioneers, the Macarthurs established Merino wool production, wheat growing, dairying, horticulture and grape growing. These enterprises became a model for Australia’s proud agricultural traditions.
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Camden Park House
Elizabeth Macarthur Ave, Camden
| www.camdenparkhouse.com.au
| The building and design of Camden Park House, which preoccupied the mind of John Macarthur in the last years of his life, was begun by his sons, James and William, in 1832 and completed in 1835, a year after John's death.
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Architect, John Verge, designed a mansion in the Palladian style with a central two-storey block with one-storey wings and extensions at each side. The rich farming heritage of the Macarthur region can be traced back to as early as 1795 when Governor Hunter went in search of stray cattle and found them settled by the Nepean River, in an area he later named "The Cowpastures", a name which is still in use today.
When John Macarthur was granted 5000 acres of the best pasture land in the colony, he promptly selected The Cowpastures and proceeded to establish Camden Park Estate, which became one of the finest estates in the nation.
Camden Park House, which has become one of the great mansions of Australia, is still occupied by the Macarthur family, and is in fact thought to be one of the oldest residences in the country still occupied by descendents of its founder. The family burial ground, carefully established over the decades, is located nearby and is the last resting place of John Macarthur and his direct descendents.
Camden Park House is open to the public on the third weekend in September and at other times for group tours by arrangement.
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Camden Valley Inn
290 Remembrance Dr, Camden Park
Ph: (02) 4655 8413
| enquiries@camdenvalleyinn.com.au
| www.camdenvalleyinn.com.au
| Built in the early 1930s, originally as a milk bar, but always as a popular meeting place for locals. The "Camden Vale Inn", as it was then known, was built to promote the pure and wholesome milk of Camden Park. Today the inn has changed from milk bar to restaurant and a luxury hotel inn, after being granted its tavern licence in 1989.
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The Camden Valley Inn still retains its quaint charm and country friendliness in an atmosphere reminiscent of old England. Camden Valley Inn is the ultimate in mouth-watering hospitality, revitalising natural surrounds, clean air and homemade comforts.
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Cobbitty Village
Cobbitty Rd, Cobbitty
Governor Macquarie named this area Cobbedee, and when Gregory Blaxland was granted land here in 1812, he called it Cubbady Farm. The village of Cobbitty, nestled on the Nepean River, attracts much interest because of the lush country views and beautifully kept historic buildings. Stroll through the art gallery or the markets, held on the first Saturday of the month.
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Dredges Cottage - Veterans Recreation Centre
303 Queen St, Campbelltown
Ph: (02) 4628 4369
Dredges Cottage, a hertiage listed building, is home to the Veterans Recreation Centre. The centre is the only one of its kind in Australia. The centre displays military memorabilia covering all theatres of conflict from the Boer War 1902 to Vietnam.
Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am to 2pm.
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Gledswood Homestead
900 Camden Valley Wy, Catherine Field
Ph: (02) 9606 5111
| info@gledswood.com.au
| www.gledswood.com.au
| Originally named "Buckingham" the property now "Gledswood" was a grant of 400 acres made to Gabriel Louis Marie Huon de Kerillian in 1810. De Kerillian was a French nobleman who fled the Revolution and joined the NSW Corps as Gabriel Lewis, arriving on the "Surprise" in 1794. He was at one time a tutor to John Macarthur's sons.
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De Kerillian was issued with 8 convicts who constructed a residence on the property. This first building later became the kitchen for the homestead. The second building was a coach house and the third a cottage for the convicts in which they were chained at night. These buildings still stand and are distinguished from later buildings because they are made from local sandstone.
In 1816, the property was sold to James Chisholm for 250 pounds. Convict labour was also used to build the homestead. There is no record of the Architect or completion date. Conjecture puts the date at c.1829, the time of Chisholm's marriage to Elizabeth Kinghorne.
Extensions and renovations were last done in the 1860s. Chisholms and their descendants lived at "Gledswood" for approx 120 years.
There are close ties to the Macarthur family through marriages and wine growing. There is a story that James Chisholm was bailed up by Jack Donahoe the "Wild Colonial Boy" but was allowed to proceed on his way because he was good to his convicts "of which I was once one".
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Glenalvon
8 Lithgow St, Campbelltown
Ph: (02) 4625 1822
| president@cahs.com.au
| www.cahs.com.au
| Open: The first Tuesday, second Saturday and third Wednesday of every month. 10am - 1pm.
Built in 1840 by Michael Byrne, this fine Colonial Georgian townhouse is home to the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society. Wander through this beautiful historic property and visit the custom built Alex Goodsell Rural Exhibition Centre, showcasing the agricultural heritage in the area. The entire complex, including the coach house and stables, sits in a peaceful heritage garden.
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School and group tours are welcome at Glenalvon, bookings required.
The Historical Society aim to collect and preserve items and information relevant to the history of the Campbelltown district and to present them in an interesting and educative manner.
The society have published a large number of books and produce three journals a year, as well as a regular newsletter.
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John Oxley Cottage
Camden Visitor Information Centre
Camden Valley Wy, Elderslie
Ph: (02) 4658 1370
| tourism@camden.nsw.gov.au
| www.camden.nsw.gov.au
| John Oxley Cottage is built on land that was originally part of the grant made by Governor Lachlan Macquarie to John Oxley, 1000 acres in 1815 - Kirkham and 850 acres in 1816 - Ellerslie. No record has been found of its original builder but it is a typical "workman's cottage" thought to have been built in the 1890s as part of a row of similar cottages along the road into Camden.
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The cottage is built from bricks most likely to have been made at the brick works in the town of Camden. The original roof of wooden shingles can be seen under the eaves of the back verandah. There were separate outbuildings located beside a brick well.
It is believed that the cost of connecting electricity to the cottage was paid for by Miss Faithfull-Anderson of "Camelot", known for her generosity done quietly and without public attention.
The house was known for some time as "Curry's Cottage" and was once owned by the Curry family (although not the main farmhouse) after whom the adjoining reserve is named. The Cottage houses Camden Visitor Information Centre. Open 7 days.
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Menangle House - Horse and Jockey Inn
170 Menangle Rd, Menangle Park
Ph: (02) 4633 9111
| mhhji@menanglehouse.com.au
| www.menanglehouse.com.au
| Menangle House was built around 1839 by George Taber, known as 'the Gentleman Farmer'. The building originally operated as a public bar known as 'Taber's Inn' which operated from 1839 to 1844, reopened and renamed the 'Horse and Jockey Inn', and then renamed the 'Menangle Hotel' (1857 - 1859). Today, Menangle House is surrounded by landscaped gardens and operates as a restaurant with private courtyards and function facilities. Tours of the historic homestead are available by appointment.
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The inn was divided into two sections - one for the lower class and one for the upper. A library was also located on the lower level of the inn but only available to the upper class.
The inn has been restored to its original form of a bar. The old servery hatch is still there and is the only working one left in Australia. The sandstone building located to the side of the old inn has been restored to a museum offering history and photographs from the 1800s & 1900s.
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Quondong Cottage
Campbelltown Visitor Information Centre
15 Old Menangle Rd, Campbelltown
Ph: (02) 4645 4921
| tourism@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au
| www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au
| Quondong was the first catholic school in Australia to be built from private subscription. The Catholic Church acquired the land in November 1840, from Mary Shiels. It had a gabled hall of plastered brick. The veranda across the front was added later, as were the urns on the round-topped pilaster-buttresses. It was built in 1840 and appears to be named after a Kurrajong tree at the front which was mistakenly believed to be a native Quandong tree.
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It remained in use as a school until 1914 when Father James Dunne opened St John's Primary School in Lindsay Street. It was then sold to Mrs Keihone who had it converted to a dwelling, and wishing to give it a truly Australian title, renamed it Quondong.
Local legend has it that at one time it was divided down the centre and that one side was a Catholic school and the other an Anglican school. However no evidence had been found to support this story. Mrs Keihone sold it to her nephew William Thomas Bourke who resided there till the 1950's, after which, Mrs Cyril Seagal of Wilton owned it till 1991.
Quondong is now the Visitor Information Centre and has information on local attractions and events. Also available is a wide range of maps, brochures, historical society publications, gifts and souvenirs. The Centre also features a heritage rose garden and a replica school room.
Open 7 days.
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Wivenhoe House
Macquarie Grove Rd, Kirkham
Ph: (02) 4655 7057
| wivenhoe@hotkey.net.au
| www.materdeicamden.org.au
| Open: First Sunday of the month (Feb to Dec), 11am - 3pm.
Charles Cowper built "Wivenhoe" on the 600 acres granted to his father Rev William Cowper in 1812. It was named after his wife's (Eliza Sutton) home in England. The house was completed in 1838 and its design has been attributed to Colonial Architect John Verge.
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It has been added to and extended over the years and has stables, an enclosed courtyard, coach house and servants quarters. By 1873 "Wivenhoe" had been increased in area to approx. 950 acres and had an extensive vineyard and beautifully landscaped grounds. The property was purchased at this time by H.A. Thomas and remained in the family until the death of his widow in 1903 when it passed to Captain Oswald Watt. In 1910 it was sold by Captain Oswald Watt to the Catholic Church for 7000 pounds and became Mater Dei Orphanage.
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