New Insights into Parramatta’s history with Experiment and Survival tour: How Government Farm saved the newly arrived colony
Published: 9 May 2017 at 12:00 am
Journey back in time and discover how the fledging Sydney colony of 1788 was saved from starvation. It’s all part of a special guided tour of UNESCO World Heritage site, Old Government House and Domain in beautiful Parramatta Park, on Saturday 13 May from 11am to 2pm.
The National Trust and Parramatta Park Trust are very excited to be offering a joint tour of what’s known as the Government Domain, as part of the Australian Heritage Festival. The tour includes a rustic settlers’ lunch at Lachlan’s Restaurant.
Hear fascinating stories of how Governors and convicts helped to establish Government Farm, and the tough decisions faced by the Governors to ensure the colony would survive.
You’ll also have the chance to explore the Dairy Cottage, one of the nation’s oldest surviving buildings and home to George Salter, an ex-convict who built the cottage in 1796.
See Governor Macquarie’s sunken dairy and watch audio-visual displays that recreate life in the early days of European settlement and explain the history of the area’s traditional owners and earliest inhabitants.
Suellen Fitzgerald, Executive Director, Parramatta Park Trust said, “We’re delighted to combine forces with the National Trust to give the community a chance to understand the full significance of this site - vital to enhancing our knowledge of early convict settlement in New South Wales.”
Old Government House and Domain in Parramatta Park is one of 11 historic places that together form the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property.
Roxanne Fea, Regional Manager Western Sydney for National Trust NSW said, “The Australian Heritage Festival is a perfect opportunity to discover the rich history and fascinating stories of the traditional owners, and Governors and convicts who also inhabited this area.”
Tickets are $45 (including lunch) and strictly limited so get in quickly. Book now.
For more information, visit the National Trust's website.