Brush Farm House

On Sunday 14 June 2009, Mary and I visited Brush Farm House at Eastwood, NSW. Ryde Council was holding one of its Open Days there to show off the restoration of the heritage property which was completed in 2007.

Brush Farm House and estate is very much part of of the natural and cultural heritage of NSW. It is one of Australia's oldest remaining houses, being built in 1819-20 by the explorer Gregory Blaxland. It was a two story brick building on sandstone foundations in the Colonial Georgian style.

Ryde Council purchased the property from the NSW State Government in 1990 and set in place a conservation project that has not only restored the building as a legacy of our early heritage but has opened it up for public use.

The Blaxlands were among the first 'settlers of responsibility and Capital' to come to the young colony of New South Wales. The early Administraion encouraged such settlers promising them land, convict servants and free passages. Gregory Blaxland and his brother John were friends of Sir Joseph Banks, and it appears that it was he who strongly enocuraged them to emigrate.

History Services NSW has numerous records of convicts assigned to Brush Farm and Gregory Blaxland. For example:

Edward GING who arrived in Port Jackson on 27 July 1817 from County Cork on the convict ship, Chapman. It is recorded that he served Gregory Blaxland of the Brush Farm for four and a half years until 16 November 1822. He was granted his Certificate of Freedom in 1823 and was granted land at Campbelltown in 1825.

If you are researching a convict ancestor who was assigned to Brush Farm, you should go to our website at:
http://www.historyservices.com.au/convicts.htm