After two years spent supervising the outpost on Norfolk Island, Lt P. G. King returned to Sydney early in 1790, and was then sent by Governor Phillip to London to report on the difficulties of the whole settlement. Before leaving he recorded in his private journal that Governor Phillip had made several trips to find a better place for cultivation than the land around the lower part for cultivation than the land around the lower part of Sydney Harbour, and on 9 April 1790 he had accompanied him to Rose Hill. He wrote:

We landed about half a mile from the Settlement & walked up to it. The Settlement is on an elevated Ground, which joins to a very fine Crescent, as regular as if formed by art, it is supposed that this Crescent & the regular Slopes which Surround the Settlement had been formed by very heavy rains, The Soil is loams, Sand & Clay, & the trees are not so large here as lower down the harbour, but the large roots lying on the Ground renders it difficult to clear. A fine Stream of fresh Water run into the head of the harbour, which in the Winter & heavy rains sometimes rises 7 or 8 feet & is a rapid torrent. A redoubt is constructed here in which are very good Barracks for Officers & men, also a Storehouse. On the Opposite Side of the Brook is a farm house, where A Servant of Governor Phillips lives, & who is charged with the Superintendance of the Convicts & the Cultivation of the ground, to which change he is very equal, & is of the greatest use to the Governor, As he has no other free Person whatever to overlook the least piece of work carrying on by the Convicts; near this Farm house is a very good Barn & Granary, the Convicts houses form a line at some distance in front of the Barracks, with very good Gardens before & behind each house; the whole joined to the pleasantness of the situation makes it a fine landscape. In 1789 the Quality of ground sowed with wheat here & at Sydney Cove was 22 Acres, with Barley 17 Acres, Flax & Indian Corn Beans &c. 3 Acres. For the Cultivation of Wheat & other grains, nearly One Hundred Acres will be cleared this Year at Rose Hill of which 40 will be sowed with Wheat,. The quantity of Wheat raised last year was 200 Bushells, Barley 60 Bushells. Flax, Beans & other seeds 10 Bushells. The Wheat is a full good grain.

-P. G. King, Journal 1786-1790, C115, Mitchell Library, Sydney, pp. 384-9

  hoe1234@hotmail.com

Table of Contents

You are Visitor No: View Counter Stats