The day started with Henry's departure. A bit sad. I had really enjoyed having him celebrating Christmas with us.
James, Megan, Chris, Dan, Jemma & myself hopped in the Vito and drove to Elizabeth Farm. Near old Govt house at Parramatta.
I had a twinge of a headache and really wanted a coffee. Elizabeth House sported a very nice looking coffee shop. Alas nice looking was all that it was. A facade. Coffee only produced on weekends it seems. In an attempt to alleviate the headache I drove a couple of blocks to McDonalds. The smell when I entered ..... was .... McDonalds. I felt quite a bit more ill and almost left. The need for caffeine drove me forward and I ordered a couple of medium coffees. Drove back and gave one to Chris. The caffeine did the trick and my headache abated and I enjoyed the rest of the day.
We did a tour guided by "Jo". This was enjoyable and informative.
As with most heritage places one sees a combination of eras. Amazed how even in colonial times they have flushing toilets. :)
The house and farm was established by John Macarthur and his wife Elizabeth.
John Macarthur was able to ingratiate himself with various influential people and leverage off that to make a considerable fortune. Mention was made that the land had actually been pre-cleared by aboriginal burning and that the aboriginals had been wiped out by a smallpox epidemic in 1789. It seems to me that the effect was that the white people could move in and farm the land with no resistance and much less effort than would have been required had they had to clear the land first.
I had a look on the net and I now suspect that the smallpox wipe out was an act of chemical warfare.
Example
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ockhamsrazor/was-sydneys-smallpox-outbreak-an-act-of-biological-warfare/5395050
James, Megan, Chris, Dan, Jemma & myself hopped in the Vito and drove to Elizabeth Farm. Near old Govt house at Parramatta.
I had a twinge of a headache and really wanted a coffee. Elizabeth House sported a very nice looking coffee shop. Alas nice looking was all that it was. A facade. Coffee only produced on weekends it seems. In an attempt to alleviate the headache I drove a couple of blocks to McDonalds. The smell when I entered ..... was .... McDonalds. I felt quite a bit more ill and almost left. The need for caffeine drove me forward and I ordered a couple of medium coffees. Drove back and gave one to Chris. The caffeine did the trick and my headache abated and I enjoyed the rest of the day.
We did a tour guided by "Jo". This was enjoyable and informative.
As with most heritage places one sees a combination of eras. Amazed how even in colonial times they have flushing toilets. :)
The house and farm was established by John Macarthur and his wife Elizabeth.
John Macarthur was able to ingratiate himself with various influential people and leverage off that to make a considerable fortune. Mention was made that the land had actually been pre-cleared by aboriginal burning and that the aboriginals had been wiped out by a smallpox epidemic in 1789. It seems to me that the effect was that the white people could move in and farm the land with no resistance and much less effort than would have been required had they had to clear the land first.
I had a look on the net and I now suspect that the smallpox wipe out was an act of chemical warfare.
Example
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ockhamsrazor/was-sydneys-smallpox-outbreak-an-act-of-biological-warfare/5395050
This stone trough is a water filtration unit. Water was poured into the top and would leach through porous stone resulting in fresh drinkable water in the pot under the stone.
Butter churn
This would have been the herb garden and the kitchen is the building behind the herb garden. The back of the main house is at the left of the photo.
Our guide "Jo" showed us the three mattresses stuffed with horse hair.
An example of the ceiling architecture.
Megan got to play this 1840 piano. It had one octave fewer keys. The resonators / strings started at the keyboard and went up. This made the piano very shallow or narrow and tall. The reason was to allow the pinao to be carried on and off ships.
I was so glad we were reenacting times gone by when the talented wife made music and I could relax on the chaise longue.
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