1853 - 1864  CAMDEN

The CAMDEN district near Sydney, is closely associated with the early history of New South Wales. The loss of the early colony's cattle in 1795 resulted in the discovery of the area when a party was sent by Governor Hunter to investigate rumours of the location of the strayed cattle. The area was given the name "Cowpastures". To protect the wild cattle, a constables house was built in 1805 abutting the Nepean River and the then Governor King instructed a survey of the road from the crossing at the Nepean to Prospect, now the line of the Old Hume Highway.

Click on Thumbnail Cowpastures Cottage

John Macarthur had brought a number of Dutch-Spanish sheep from South Africa and established a small stud at Elizabeth Farm at Parramatta. In 1801, Macarthur sent samples of wool to England for testing, where British woollen manufacturers found the wool to of a similar quality to the Spanish merino wool which had a monopoly on the English market. In 1803 after submissions by Macarthur, the Colonial Secretary, Lord Camden, ordered Governor King to grant Macarthur "not less than 5000 acres of land..." and allowed the export to Australia of the first pure bred merinos to leave the Royal Stud at Kew. Since that time, Macarthur's Camden Park Estate has become part of Australian history as the foundation stone of it's wool industry. After considerable difficulties, the opposition of the new Governor Bligh, disease, isolation and the killing of sheep by aborigines - the industry prospered and by 1839, Camden Park comprised some 28,000 acres.

Click on Thumbnail Manager's Cottage Camden Park

Camden, the town, was proposed in 1830 but was not proclaimed until after the death of Macarthur, in 1836. By 1840 the "first commodious hotel.." was in construction. Sites for the Roman Catholic and Presbyterian Churches were selected, a school opened and a post office established. By 1847 an Episcopalian Church was in build and the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was complete. The town increased dramatically through 1860.

Camden Park Estate introduced dairying in 1826 with the employment of 14 female convicts, and viticulture in 1838 - activities which continue today. Wool production rose from 245lbs in 1807 to an immense 3,776,191 lbs. in 1835 but by the early 1840's the whole district turned to wheat growing. By 1850, with the indomitable spirit of the pioneering farmer, wheat became the predominant activity which was reaped before the increasing onset of rust in the grain. In order to expand production, large areas of the estate were subdivided in various areas and leased for 13 or more years to settler farmers. Most leases required all or some land to be cleared - hence the common name "clearing leases". With the cessation of convict labour in 1840, replacement settlers were needed. To find experienced farmers, the estate established agents in England who toured the midland farm areas to entice farmers to emigrate to Australia as assisted migrants, with a guarantee of a land lease. With the then tough conditions in England and with all the family males being  agricultural labourers or tenant farmers the engagement was probably easy with almost the whole family agreeing to leave England forever. The family paid the not insubstantial sum of £1.00 for each adult male, £2.00 for each adult wife and £1.00 for each child, although it was not uncommon for the emigration fees to be advanced thus creating a form of indenture. Transport from Lincolnshire by rail, from Southampton by ship, provisions, basic requirements on arrival together with assistance to and at Camden, were to be provided.

North Cawdor Estate was one such lease subdivision, comprising many largely 100+ acre lots in excellent well watered but only partly or uncleared country, a few miles from Camden village.  The land was intersected by the Cobbity Creek and the Mt. Hunter Creek further north and was bounded by the Nepean River to the east. It was also commonly known as Cobbity Paddock. Adjacent were such estates, all part of Camden Park Estate, as Macquarie Grove, Wivenhoe, Mount Hunter, Brisbane Farm, West Camden and the Oxley's holding - Kirkham.

Camden, is the Gateway to the Craft Towns of the Southern Highlands of NSW.

Camden Country Crafts Page 1
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Camden Country Crafts Page 3
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Camden Country Crafts Bears 1
Camden Country Crafts Bears 2
Camden Country Crafts Bears 3
Camden Country Crafts Bears 4
Berrima
Rose Garden

Camden Country Crafts Main Page