| Historical notes: | The land on which the Bungarribee house site and farm estate are located was originally occupied by the people of the Warrawarry group of the Darug people. They were based around Eastern Creek and the surrounding forest and grassland and used these for food and shelter, hunting and gathering a wide array of animal and plant foods including fresh water fish, crayfish and shellfish.
A close examination of the documentation of Governor Phillip's first exploration of Parramatta's western hinterland in April 1788 reveals that the orthodox view that he went only as far as Prospect Hill or a lttle beyond is deeply flawed. His party is much more likely to have traversed Toongabbie, Seven Hills and Blacktown to climb Bungarribee Hill, Doonside and reaching Eastern Creek and Rooty Hill (Flynn, 1995, 9).
By the time of European settlement in the western regions after 1790, the original Aboriginal groups had been severely affected by an outbreak of smallpox that had first devastated the groups closest to the European settlement but rapidly spread through the entire Sydney district. Many of the surviving groups in the west had likely begun to come together to form amalgamated bands in order to survive.
Once European settlers began to move into the west, conflicts began to occur between them and the Warrawarry. The clearing and alienation of land by Europeans and consequent reduction in native foods led to clashes between surviving Aboriginal groups and the settlers. By the late 1790s, violence was becoming a feature of the interaction between the two cultures. In 1801 Governor Hunter ordered Aboriginals to be kept away from settlers' areas because of the perceived threat. By 1814 the population had dwindled and the survivors were forced to rely heavily on Europeans for food. A number of groups were reported camped on estates at Mamre, South Creek and Eastern Creek (it is not known if this was near Bungarribee).
Although bands of Aboriginal people continued to live around the estates and growing settlements up to the 1840s, by this time there were less than 300 recorded Darug people left, 10% of the 1788 population (Godden Mackay Logan, 2007b, 5).
For many years 'Bungarribee' was thought to mean 'the burial place of a king' and was derived from the name of an Aboriginal man named 'Bungaree' (also spelt Bungaroo, Boongaree). Bungaree reputedly died in the vicinity of Bungarribee. King Bungaree was a Guringai man who lived to the north of Sydney in the Broken Bay area. He was well known around Sydney, particularly for the role he played in key voyages of both Matthew Flinders and Phillip Gidley King during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was the first Aboriginal man to be presented with a breastplate by Governor Macquarie, in 1815 (engraved with 'Boongaree Chief of the Broken Bay Tribe, 1815'). According to Philip Clarke, Bungaree died in 1830 and is buried in Rose Bay. It is now thought that the name 'Bungarribee' is derived from joining together two Darug words which in combination can be translated as 'creek with cockatoos' or 'creek with campsite'. Neither Bungarribee or Bell's creeks are permanent water sources so this interpretation of the name appears plausible (Godden Mackay Logan, 2009b, 7).
The site of (the later Bungarribee farm estate) was within the larger site of the Rooty Hill Government Farm (/stock reserve (Morris & Britton, 2000, 124), an area of 38,728 acres (387.28ha)(Godden Mackay Logan, 2009b, 7 says the area was 17,000 acres). This had been established by Governor King from 1802 as a means to ensure ongoing supply of good pasture for Government herds, as well as land for cultivation of crops and produce. King saw the farms (there were four large farm sites in the Sydney area in total) also as a way to keep the fledgling colonial economy out of the exclusive hands of profiteers and market manipulators.
The farm runs were left largely unaltered from their natural state, save for an overseer's hut and scattered huts for convict shepherds and labourers, as well as stockyards and fences to enclose grazing areas. At Rooty Hill much of the development was to the north-west of the (later Bungarribee farm estate) although fencing may have been erected within its area.
By the time of Governor Macquarie in 1810, the demands of private landholders and settlers was growing to the point that Macquarie began to subdivide lots from the Government Farms. Macquarie also believed that the worst was over for the colony in terms of food production and that the need for large Government Farms to supply the colony was no longer so pronounced.
From c.1815 Macquarie began to grant parcels of land from the Rooty Hill Farm to settlers, which marked the beginning of organised European agricultural activity in the area. The largest portion (within the study area) was that of John Campbell's 2000 acres which he took up in c1822. This was bounded by Eastern Creek in the west, in the north by the current Bungarribee Road (and its line west of Doonside Road), in the south by the Great Western Highway and in the east by the approximate line of Reservoir Road. Campbell erected a temporary residence on the high point of his land and began to clear and cultivate, with the help of 22 convict labourers. (Godden Mackay Logan, 2007a, 9).
An 1821 Colonial Secretary's record notes authorising John Campbell to select 22 convicts, 'having 80 acres cleared at Prospect under conditions of the notice of 17/11/1821. 'Until the party have hutted themselves at a central spot on your estate (HE says less than one week) they are to continue drawing rations from Parramatta...' (BJ Johnson, 2000, p.3).
The 1822 Land and Stock Muster lists Campbell as granted 2000 acres (at "Parramatta") with 130 acres cleared, 15 acres wheat, 5 acres barley and 2 acres potatoes. Stock are 24 cattle, 28 hogs and 1 horse. In the General Muster of 1822 he is no. A03201 with sons 3202, -03, also wife no.A3178 and 6 children 3179-3184, all 'came free' on 'Lusitania'. (ibid, 2000, p.4). He was assigned 6 convicts for 6 months victualling from the King's Stores, and applied for 5 mechanics and 4 labourers. (ibid, p.3). Campbell was active in the Agricultural Society of New South Wales and appears to have been an ambitious farmer (ibid, 2000, 124).
Campbell's temporary residence was enlarged in 1825 and incorporated into his grand new home. He positioned his new house on the top of the highest hill on the property, with the main living section facing to the west, providing views to the Blue Mountains in the distance. Situated on the highest point, the house was clearly visible to travellers passing along the Western Road and in time it became a landmark in the area. (Although now demolished, the site retains its landmark qualities through the Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii), hoop pine (A.cunninghamii), Mediterranean cypress / pencil pine (Cupressus sempervirens), Port Jackson fig (Ficus rubiginosa) and peppercorn tree (Schinus molle var. areira) that remain on the site and are visible from Doonside Road and were part of the Bungarribee house garden.). As well as the house, a number of large outbuildings and farm structures were erected on the raised area, including a brick convict barracks, a large brick barn, a number of stables, blacksmith's shop, carpenter's shop and other associated buildings. (Godden Mackay Logan, 2007a, 9).
The house was begun in 1822 (J.W.Moore, 2006) by John Campbell, a retired military officer from Scotland who arrived in Australia on board the Lusitania in 1821 November 1821 (with a wife, four sons & five daughters. Campbell, accompanied by his wife (He and Annabella were related to Governor Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth, nee Campbell (J.W.Moore, 2006) and nine children and bearing a letter of introduction from the Earl of Bathurst (then Secretary of State (Petrie, 1935)) to Governor Macquarie, was intent on making his fortune by taking up land and farming. Despite being described by Broadbent (1997) as an "unappealing man" and an "unconscionable self-interested sponger", Campbell appears to have had considerable knowledge of farming and was relatively highly regarded by the colonial government at the time. Campbell's knowledge and status are reflected in his appointments as a committee member of the Agricultural Society of NSW (1822) and later "Joint Commissioner of Crown Lands" (Austral Archaeology, 2000).
The homestead and estate (2000 acres between Prospect and Rooty Hill (Petrie, 1935)) were named Bungarabee which was also the name of the creek which cut east-west through the grant. It is an Aboriginal composition, a derivation of which was briefly associated with the Black Town native school.
Almost immediately after Campbell received his grant he began building a homestead on that land "suited to his status as a former officer and colonial gentleman". He built on the western slope of Bungarribee Hill (on an elevated plateau above the 100 year flood line) in 1822. Construction work utilised assigned convict labour and was preceded by or occurred in concert with clearing sections of the natural vegetation on Campbell's land. (Austral Archaeology, 2000). (For a description of the house see Physical Description). The main portion of the house was circular, with one room on the ground floor and one above, both a full circle in shape. Thus all windows, doors and mantelpieces had to be curved, and the difficulty of properly carrying out such accurate work with the labour available must have been very great. Yet it was done, and stood for over 100 years, testimony to the skill involved (Petrie, 1935). The Round room and tower were added by Icely in 1829. The original source is Major Walters' letter of 16 Aug 1913. Walters had been an Engineer and 1st Class Draughtsman in the Survey Dept. He also undertook investigative work. Walters had contacts and access to early documents (now destroyed)(J.W.Moore, 2006).
The problems encountered by Campbell during construction of the estate were considerable. In 1824 approximately one year after beginning work on Bungarribee, Campbell was in debt to creditors including Simon Levey and John Macarthur.
Campbell was appointed a magistrate for the district, and in those days this was a real distinction. Governor Brisbane, Macquarie's successor, on one occasion found it necessary to give samples of the penalties inflicted by various magistrates, and quoted one wherein Mr Campbell figured. The bench consisted of Lieutenant William Lawson, of Prospect (Veteran Hall), Donald Macleod, and John Campbell, Esquires. Christopher Lawler, a convict employed at Rooty Hill, was the culprit, and was charged with 'having a quart tin in his possession stolen from the Huts on Mr Campbell's farm.' Lawler was sentenced to receive 25 lashes every second morning until he produced the remainder of the property stolen. This was evidently a customary sentence, as others are cited, but Lawler evidently would not or could not produce the remainder, for a note states that after receiving 100 lashes he was returned to his gang (Bertie, 1935).
In 1826 Campbell's wife died and in 1827 Campbell himself died at the age of 56. Their tragic deaths and the invention of Chief Bungaroo and other stories involving the murder of a convict and the firearm suicide of an officer in one of the bedrooms led to a proliferation of stories about the house being cursed or haunted.
The first recorded mention of a kitchen (vegetable and fruit) garden at Bungarribee appears in a sale notice for the estate following Campbell's death. An auction notice in the Sydney Gazette & NSW Advertiser from August 1828 until its sale in September 1828 described the property as including 'a garden consisting of 8 acres with a great number and variety of young fruit trees well watered'. Of interest is the description of the trees as 'young fruit trees', suggesting at least part of the garden was a recent addition (although at this stage none of the garden would have been over five years old). The size at 8 acres represents two types of garden likely to have been on site: the kitchen garden itself and an associated orchard. A garden of that size would be able to support the entire household, staff and convict labourers on the site. A letter in the Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser of 23/3/1846 reported that 63 people lived at Bungarribee (during the occupancy of the East India Company). This probably represents roughly the number employed on the estate throughout the 1830s. A workforce this large goes some way to explaining why the garden would cover an area as large as 8 acres. A second sale notice from 1882 also mentions the existence of a kitchen and flower garden, vineyard and orchard, but gives no further description of plantings or size (Godden Mackay Logan, 2009a, 3)
The property was offered for auction in March 1828 with:
'250 acres (101 hectares) cleared, four large inclosed paddocks, various stockyards and piggery, a garden consisting of 8 acres (3 hectares), with a great number and variety of young fruit trees well watered, and two creeks always supplied with water running through the farm... The Dairy is considered to be, in design, the most complete in the colony...' (Latta, David, 'Lost Glories, a memorial to forgotten Australian buildings', Angus & Robertson, p.59, quoted in Morris & Britton, 2000, 124).
Bungarribee was sold to Thomas Icely in 1828 for 3652 pounds with financial assistance from John Macarthur. Icely arrived in NSW on the Surrey in 1820, and within five years had an estimated capital of over 30,000 pounds (This value was written in a Government dispatch by Governor Darling to Under-Secretary Hay, 20 December 1826. The amount is possibly in error, as Icely estimated his value at 13,680 pounds in 1825) (Moore, 2006).
Icely made extensive purchases of horses, cattle and sheep, and was given a grant of land to the extent of 2560 acres in the Carcoar district. The estate which was increased by purchases, was named Coombing Park after a creek on the station. Here Icely prospered and became one of the leading pastoralists of the day (See separate SHR listing for Coombing Park).
Bungarribee was used for breeding and fattening purposes. In the days before the advent of the railway, moving stock or wool was a slow and laborious business. The roads of the day were little more than tracks, and a full day's journey by bullock wagon would be covered by a truck in less than an hour now. In such circumstances such an estate as Bungarribee, adjacent to Sydney, would be of great value as an appendage to a pastoral property in the country (Bertie, 1935).
Icely by 1830 had decided to shift his interests to Carcoar. A survey by Knapp 1831-2 is likely connected to Icely's selling his property to Charles Smith in 1832. The survey is of considerable interest for its detail of the kitchen garden and yard which indicates the locations of the dairy, stable, etc. Smith, like Icely, used the estate for horsebreeding and built additional stables and outhouses, although he sold it in 1840 (State Records, FB 370 Knapp 1831-2, quoted in Britton & Morris, 2000, 125).
NB: The Australian Dictionary of Biography has no entry on Campbell and he is only cited as selling the property in the 'Thomas Icely' ADB entry. Icely was owner during EJH Knapp's 1832 survey. (He sold it in 1832)(BJ Johnson, 2000, p.4). The large stables shown by Knapp in 1832 may have been built by Icely, a noted horse breeder. The 1828 Muster showed Icely had 14,770 acres, including 1230 cleared and 138 cultivated. He had 65 horses, 1450 cattle and 7500 sheep (compared to Campbell's record in the 1822 Muster of having only one horse but 24 cattle and 28 hogs).
The 1832 Knapp survey of Eastern Creek and north boundaries of the 2000 acres transferred from Campbell to Icely. This showed in some detail the house, outbuildings (stables, dairy and barracks?), also extensive formal gardens covering 120 x 100 meters (BJ Johnson, 2000, p6). Knapp was government surveyor. His plan is the only known one that shows the outline and dimensions of the kitchen garden and positions it in relation to the house. The plan shows a rectangular garden divided internally into 16 individual beds with what appear to be paths running in a grid pattern through it. Around the perimeter appears a border, which may also represent border plantings. A central path running north-south has three circular features with smaller garden beds in the centre. This plan is similar to ideas for kitchen garden planting being put forward by the likes of Thomas Shepherd (Sydney's first commercial nurseryman and garden designer) and Scottish/English writer John Claudius Loudon at this time, although it is further from the house than they recommended. This is probably due to the site's topography, with the house and associated outbuildings built on a raised, relatively narrow portion of the site while the garden was located to the northwest, on a flat adjacent to one of the creeks that ran through the estate (Godden Mackay Logan, 2009a, 3).
The garden is shown in a number of other media (sic), most notably two paintings of the estate during the ownership of the East India Company. Of these, it is most clearly shown in T.Rider's painting of the site c.1850 which (looking to the homestead group across the estate), shows the garden enclosed by a timber railing fence, separated from the house by a large paddock (ibid, 2009, 4).
Charles Smith, a thoroughbred horse breeder, resided at Bungarribee from 1832-40 (Godden Mackay Logan, 2007, 10).
A tenant during Charles Smith's ownership was Mr Henry Herman Kater (1840-41), who arrived in NSW in 1839 on the "Euphrates", which he had chartered and loaded with horses and cattle. He was a Cambridge graduate, and had acted as one of the Earl of Marshal's Gold Staff Officers at Queen Victoria's coronation. He bought Bungarribee soon after arrival, and pastured his valuable livestock there. Amongst the horses were Capapie, Tross, Cantab, Paraquay, The Giggler and Georgiana, from which descended many of the finest racehorses in Australia. Kater decided to specialise in horse breeding, and sold his cattle to Mr William Suttor of Bathurst, thus helping to form the celebrated herd built up by Suttor (Bertie, 1935).
In 1840 Kater brought his bride to Bungarribee, Eliza Charlotte Darvall, daughter of Major Edward Darvall, and on September 20 1841 a son was born, named Henry Edward. He became a well known pastoralist, and was appointed a member of the Legislative Council, and died in 1924 (ibid, 1935).
In late 1841 Kater departed Bungarribee, and Smith leased the property to Joseph Armstrong. He came from the strata of society where families are not discussed, and any imprints he had did not come from a University. Nevertheless Smith was a remarkable man, wealthy, and a great sportsman. He was described as 'one of the greatest promoters of horses breeding, a sporting butcher, who carries on his trade in a large plot of land where Kidman's and Lassetter's stores are (George, Market & York Streets), but taking in the whole square into York Street. Charles Smith, I think, ought to rank as the most eminent horse breeder in the colonies: he had a marvellous judgement, and was a frequent winner. At the time of the races near Sydney he had his horses paraded through the streets in handsome clothing, each winner carrying a blue cap embroidered with figures of its winnings worked in yellow braid. He had a stud farm at Bungarribee, and an establishment at Camperdown. He owned more blood stock of the highest type than any other breeder at the one time'. Smith died in 1845, and Bungarribee passed into the occupation of agents of the East India Company, who used it as a depot for horses intended for remounts in India (ibid, 1935).
Godden Mackay Logan (2007, 10) note that the property was occupied by the East India Company between c1843-6) and from 1846-51 by Benjamin Boyd, prominent colonial merchant and entrepreneur. Boyd used its convict barracks for a period as accommodation for South Pacific (kanaka) labour he had working on his properties.
It then passed though through a number of tenants, one being Captains Dallas and Apperley (1845-47), who used the property as an assembly depot and 'rest station' for horses purchased in NSW as remounts for the British army in India. After the East India Company there seems to have been a return to horse breeding, cattle grazing, agriculture and dairying (Austral Archaeology, 2000).
An 1846 record (Lt.Col.Godfrey C Mundy, notes Bungarabee (sic) as the H.E.I (East India) Company stud establishment (just on the eve of abolition)...and consisting of an excellent dwelling house and offices, stables permanent and temporary for several hundred horses, with some fine open paddocks around them...' (BJ Johnson, 2000, p.5). Other records imply that Icely and Kater both used the horse stud from which the East India Company exported late in the 1840s (ibid, p.6).
After Smith, the property passed through the hands of a number of owners including John Kingdon Cleeve J.P., Major J.J. Walters J.P. (who resided in the house for 17 years (Bertie, 1935), Maurice Davey, Charles Hopkins and Thomas Cleaver. (Bertie, 1935)(J.W.Moore, 2006). J.K.Cleeve bred and raced horses. Aside from this, the property relied on varying farming and livestock activities to remain self sufficient and financially viable (J.W.Moore, 2006). Godden Mackay Logan, 2007a,10) record Cleeve's occupation and farming of the estate as being between 1858 and 1890. (ibid, 2007a, 10)
The modification and change in function of some structures appears to have been a feature of the second half of the nineteenth century. When Major J.J.Walters took up the property in 1900 he noted in a letter (1913) that the only buildings besides the residence were an old brick men's quarters, large brick barn with 10 loose boxes around it, brick dairy (meat house) and brick & and wooden vehicle house. (NB: Campbell's dairy was demolished in the late 1800s. The Walters family were aware of the foundations, which became the basis of the 'ball room that burnt down' story. The only truth in the story might be the fact the dairy burnt down) (Moore, 2006).
The property was initially leased by Major J.J. Walters in 1900 (purchased 1908)(J.W.Moore, 2006) who operated it as a mixed farm including dairying, cattle and crops (Moore, 2006).
By 1910 Bungarribee comprised approximately 486 hectares (Britton & Morris, 2000, 125).
In 1913 the estate east of the present day Doonside Road was subdivided as part of the 'Bungarribee Farms Estate'. Bungarribee House itself eventually passed into the hands of a Thomas Cleaver and during WWII the American Air force built a sealed runway on the property which was used as an emergency training ground. (NB: The Records are held at the National Archives, ACT. The airstrip would seem quite well known locally) (Moore, 2006).
After Walters' departure in 1915, the house was largely unoccupied and fell into disrepair; reprieved to some extent by Hopkins' renovations in 1927-28. Between 1949 and the mid 1950s the house's decay was such that it ceased to be used as a homestead residence. The last occupants, a caretaker and his family occupied the few remaining weather proof rooms in 1950 (NB: Roofing iron was removed / pilfered in 1949-50. Only the southern range of rooms were habitable in late 1950) (Moore, 2006).
A 1935 article described Bungarribee as 'with its burden of a century's life, standing like a battered old man, calmly awaiting the call that will write 'finis' in its history. (Bertie, 1935)
(NB: Bertie doesn't appear to have visited the house - relying on information in an article by William Freame 'Lavender and Old Lace' 1926. In 1935, the house was in good condition. Bertie wasn't aware the house had been renovated )(J.W.Moore, 2006).
NBB: (the majority of the above history was taken from Bertie, 1935, amended as noted by Moore, 2006).
In c.1941, the Bungarribee estate, excluding the house, as well as properties adjoining the estate, was resumed by the Commonwealth for use by the military. The house and land to the east of Eastern Creek (which bisects the property north-south) remained in the possession of the last private owner of the site, Thomas Cleaver (1929-50). The military's interest in the site was for the construction of an airfield to serve as the training site and as an overshoot runway for the nearby Schofields airbase. A runway was constructed of compressed gravel with aircraft hides and taxi ways to the south. The runway extended on the southern side of Bungarribee Creek, in a south-westerly direction from close to the junction of Eastern and Bungarribee Creeks, crossing Doonside Road and ending near McCormack Street (Arndell Park), approximately 1.8km in length. Following the war's end, the estate remained in Commonwealth ownership, with the Cleaver family continuing to run dairy cattle on the northern portion. (Godden Mackay Logan, 2007a, 10).
In 1949, the Historic Buildings Committee of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects recommended that the house should be immediately "restored" in recognition of its significance. Between March and December 1950 the house was recorded by students of Sydney Technical College who noted that the cellars were flooded, the rubble footings were sinking and the walls were rotting. (NB: The house was in good shape in 1949. An OTC employee took several photos, and not a sheet of roofing iron is missing or window broken) (Moore, 2006).
A 1951 aerial photo shows the house and stables in accordance with Knapp's record, but later smaller buildings as well. Some trees on this photo still exist (BJ Johnson, 2000, p.4). Walter's letter (Appendix V) may relate to some outbuildings of 1913, standing in 1951). The same photo also shows the full extent of the American 1942 runway of 1500 metres sealed length. On inspection much of the sealed pavement has been broken, but it is an interesting residual artifact.(BJ Johnson, p.3). This implies the property was involved with defence operations during World War Two. (The use of Bungarribee in defence operations during World War II is evident, however the extent of this remains unclear. National Archives files refer to this. Wallgrove and Veteran Hall were used more extensively) (Moore, 2006).
OTC acquired the site in 1950 (1949 according to Godden Mackay Logan; 1957 say Morris & Britton, 2000, 125) (NB: One local map has a notation 'Commonwealth Gazette', 13 Oct 1949 re resumption of site.)(J.W.Moore, 2006) and developed it for a new international transmitting communications station. This work, including the construction of staff housing, had no bearing on the demolition of the house in 1957 or surviving outbuildings in the early 1970s.
OTC ignored all pleas to protect Bungarribee house and when near total ruin in 1954, offered it to the National Trust of Australia (NSW). The offer was declined on the basis of unworkable lease conditions, but more importantly had it been offered three years earlier, restoring the house would have been a practical proposition. (The decision was jointly reached between the Trust and Institute of Architects)(J.W.Moore, 2006).
The house with the exception of the barn and meat house was demolished in 1957.
By this time it had been unoccupied for a number of years and was deemed beyond repair. Despite some local opposition and a campaign by the fledgling National Trust for its retention and restoration, it was demolished. The only structure to survive was the two storey brick barn, which OTC used for storage (Godden Mackay Logan, 2007a, 11). During the (demolition) process a garden with intact paths and stone flagging was uncovered under 46cm of topsoil (Britton & Morris, 2000, 125).
John Lawson, a member of the local historical society had offered to restore the house at his own expense, only to be turned down by OTC, who subsequently accepted his 20 pound tender to demolish it. Lawson was required to level the site, not grade the foundations. As such, partial remains survive. The most undisturbed of these are the kitchen and servants' wing demolished c.1945. (NB: The sunken garden (see Latta), was in fact paths and garden features covered over by Hopkins in 1927-1928)(J.W.Moore, 2006). Smith's brick barn, one of the oldest original features to exist on the estate, was modified to house OTC catastrophic stores but was felled during a severe summer storm in 1977 after having stood for about 138 years. To the south of the barracks and barn sites, OTC built staff housing during the mid 1950s, behind the site of the barn along Doonside Road along the Bungarribee driveway. At the intersection of Doonside and Douglas Roads, the remains of these and the garden plantings can still be seen today. (Austral Archaeology 2000, modified Moore, 2006).
By the early 1970s, the small surviving section of the barracks, meat house and barn skillings had been gradually demolished. (The eastern end of barrack block was converted into a small stable by Hopkins in 1927-28. The meat house is the dairy building, incorrectly named by Walters in 1913. A large butcher's block was still in place in the 1940s) (Moore, 2006).
The two storey brick barn was demolished in 1977 following damage in a severe storm. By the 1990s, telecommunication technology had surpassed the need for radio transmitting and the OTC site was closed. The station buildings and aerial masts had been removed by 2001 (Godden Mackay Logan, 2007a, 11).
This land was handed over to the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning on 24/5/2000. It was not yet decided if the land will be released for housing or reserved for recreation or some other mixed use. Telstra requested permission to remove the remains during site remediation prior to the handover but the (then) Heritage Office issued an excavation permit for archaeological testing only on the basis that the site was potentially of state heritage significance. This testing was undertaken in late May 2000 and a curtilage was developed in consultation with the Heritage Office and DUAP to protect the site during remediation and provide information to support a state heritage register nomination (ibid, 2000, 125).
Archaeological test excavations were undertaken in June 2000. The removal of the top layer of grass and vegetation revealed the remaining (1820s) homestead walls, floor surfaces and footings. The wall foundations and verandah footings have a maximum dimension of 38m along the east-west axis and 22.5m along the north-south axis. As described in the historic records the homestead featured "a two-storied, circular conical roofed tower with two single storey verandah wings radiating from it - an L shaped house with a drum at the junction of the two arms. The exposure of the homestead footprint clearly revealed the 'drum' of the building and the two wings which radiated in a west to east and north to south direction respectively. Clearly evident around the drum and two wings of the homestead is the sandstone alignment for the verandah. Also revealed are the servants area (which appears to include the base of a kitchen fireplace/wood stove) and a cement or line washed brick floor (which may have been part of the laundry or scullery area). The stone cobbled flooring of an early outbuilding and the barracks to the rear of the house were also located. In addition to structural remains there was cultural material lying on the surface including glass and ceramic fragments and other European domestic artefacts.
Locations for the cellars, large enclosed stockyards, piggery, store, ham house, stable, carpenter and blacksmiths' shop and tennis court have not yet been found, although it is expected given the high level of preservation in the main house that remains of these structures will also be present. (Austral Archaeology, June 2000).
Testing confirmed that the archaeological remains of Bungarribee House, associated outbuildings, convict barracks and vegetation (dating from the 1820s) represent a resource rare in NSW. Not only are the remains intact, their relationship to each other and to the landscape in which they sit has been maintained. The Heritage Office concluded that the site was of state heritage significance and a revised statement of significance was prepared. A curtilage of approximately 6 hectares embracing both the fabric and its visual setting has been proposed. The Heritage Office recommended to DUAP that the site of Bungarribee House shoud be considered as part of the required open space ratio, should the land be released for housing development (ibid, 2000, 125).
Above ground are remnants of the former garden with landmark mature coniferous trees including Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii), hoop pine (A.cunninghamii) and Mediterranean cypress or pencil pine, (Cupressus sempervirens) indicating the location of the former homestead on the site. (Stuart Read, from 6/2000 photograph in Britton & Morris, 2000).
OTC occupied the estate from 1949 until c2001, although the station ceased operations during the 1990s. The development of the site involved building of a modern 2 storey transmitting station to the south of Bungarribee Creek and erection of a series of aerials across the entire land holding for transmitting radio signals. The new OTC station was accessed via the Great Western Highway, west of Doonside Road. It was officially opened by the Postmaster-General in February 1957. To the north of Bungarribee house site, on Doonside Road, an area was also developed for staff housing, with a curving access road, street plantings and dwelling houses. The housing was designed by prominent architectural firm Hennessy, Hennessy & Co. which OTC commissioned for the housing and the transmitting station (as well as the Receiving Station and accompanying accommodation at Bringelly) (Godden Mackay Logan, 2007a, 10-11).
c.2005 aerial photographs of the property in context show the OTC staff housing has been removed, while its layout and tree plantings survive. (Read, S., pers.comm/file, 7/2/2006).
In September 2015 Environment Minister Mark Speakman announced approval of the lease of a 16.5ha site for a new zoo on land adjoining Bungarribee's picnic area and playground. The new zoo, if approved, will open in late 2017 and attract about 745,000 visitors a year. (media release, 7/9/15).
In March 2017 Western Sydney Parklands' $15 million Bungarribee Park opened, making it the largest recreational space in Western Sydney since construction of Homebush's Bicentennial Park, Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton announced on 22/3/2017. Construction of the 200 hectare recreational park, part of the 5,280 hectare Western Sydney Parklands, is complete and will open to the public on Saturday 25 March. 'This is an exciting chapter for Western Sydney - generation after generation of families will use this park's playground, barbecues and open space to create memories that will last a life time,' Ms Upton said. 'Western Sydney Parklands is already on the backdoor of more than half a million residents. It is a vital green corridor for the health and wellbeing of all these people and the environment.' Some of the major construction work has included walking and cycling tracks, 20 barbecues, 13 picnic shelters, a playground with climbing tower, slides, a flying fox, swings and balance beams, amenities facility, additional car parking, landscaping, re-vegetation, an off-leash dog park and vehicle access from Doonside Road. Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the park's opening was a fantastic chance to show off one of the state's hidden gems and to welcome thousands of people to the region. 'The park is a fraction of the Western Sydney Parklands corridor which stretches from Blacktown (M7) in the north to Liverpool (Bringelly Road) - by 2031 more than 1 million people will be living on its doorstep,' Mr Ayres said. The wetland around Bungarribee and Eastern creeks will be protected and 20 hectares of native wildflower and thousands of native trees will be planted to restore the Cumberland Plain. Bungarribee Park will add to the list of recreational activities and facilities set among 5,280 hectares of Western Sydney Parklands. This includes Wet 'n' Wild, the Atura Hotel, Skyline Drive-In, Sydney Motor Sport Park, Sydney Dragway, Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney International Equestrian Centre and Sydney International Shooting Centre (OEH website, 22/3/2017). |