Bella Vista Farm Park 5.7

Bella Vista Farm Park – Rare – Precious – Surprising

Set in 20 hectares of rural landscape, Bella Vista Farm, located at Elizabeth Macarthur Drive, Bella Vista is an intact historic farm complex of cultural significance to the nation.

Bella Vista Farm Park is a remnant of a pastoral and farming property which dates back to the early years of the colony of Sydney. The Farm Park contains the central core of this historic property in the form of a substantial homestead and associated farm buildings.

Its prominent position on a high ridge overlooking Old Windsor is reinforced by the presence of numerous large trees, in particular the single avenue of Bunya Pines which line the now disused driveway up to the homestead.

Bella Vista Farm Park is located in The Hills Local Government Area and is contained within a large parcel of land which is progressively being developed for commercial, industrial and residential purposes - known as Norwest Business Park.

On 4 November 1997, The Hills Shire Council took ownership of Bella Vista Farm Park. The site was formally owned by the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (DUAP) and Mulpha FKP Pty Limited (Norwest).

The main Homestead and farm buildings are located on the highest point on the Farm Park’s ridge. The land gently undulates north towards Norwest Boulevard and south along the ridge of the Bunya Pine Avenue. This ridgeline is an important landscape asset that marks the site from surrounding areas. District views out from the farm park are available from the site to the north-east, south-east and south-west.

Although the Farm has dramatically reduced in size and lost its agricultural planting, some key elements of its overall landscape character have been retained.

It provides a rare surviving link between the community today, the first European settlers and some of Australia’s earliest rural development.

In 1799, Major Joseph Foveaux received 960 acres in the Crestwood area to which he added surrounding properties to create his “Stock Farm” of 1770 acres. The Stock Farm was the largest sheep property in the colony. He sold his farm with 1250 sheep on 5 October 1801 to John Macarthur for 2000 pounds.

The farm was managed by John Hindle under the direction of Elizabeth Macarthur for all the years John was away in England explaining his role in a fighting duel with Colonel Paterson, his commanding officer and again after the Rum Rebellion.

By 1821 the Macarthurs had exchanged their “Seven Hills Farm”, by then covering 2430 acres, with Crown land in Camden. The land was subsequently divided into lots and taken up by Messers McDougall, Acres, Robertson and a Mrs Ward.

The portion taken up by James Robertson became known as “Robertson’s Farm” who ran this property and others with cattle.

In 1842 William Thomas Pearce purchased approximately 200 hectares from Isabella Acres who had acquired the property from Robertson in 1838. It was during this period that the construction of the building that finally became the homestead we see today commenced.

The Pearce family had a long association with the farm until 1950 when the property was sold to the North Sydney Tile and Brick Company.

Bella Vista Farm was transferred into Council ownership in 1998. Council has adopted a Conservation Management Plan for the site. The plan aims to facilitate the restoration and long-term conservation of the property, and provide for a range of complementary uses.

With the assistance of a $1 million grant from the State Government, conservation has completed including site establishment, reinstatement of the verandahs and original slate roof to the homestead, and restoration of the kitchen block. Funding from the Federal Government also enabled the stabilisation and repair of timber outbuildings.

Ongoing works include the conservation of the main homestead and outer buildings, covering of the wells in the courtyard and archaeological investigations of the farm artefacts.

The site’s close proximity to Rouse Hill, Blacktown and Parramatta and the M2 and M7 means the site is potentially accessible to a wide visitor catchment and is used to host memorable events including The Sydney Hills Shakespeare in The Park, The Sydney Country Music Festival, Australia Day at the Farm and for the first time the Sydney Hills International Sand Sculpting Championship.


More information

Bella Vista Farm Plan Information
http://www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/Venues/Parks-Recreation/Bella-Vista-Farm-Park

Hills Voices Online - http://www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/external/hillsvoices/properties.htm

http://www.bellavistafarm.com.au/index.html