Stories about the history of the Lane Cove River Valley.
Photos from the Thistlethwaite Collection, Ku-ring-gai Library.
1938 Opening the Park
From the 1920s there was a push to create a public park along the Lane Cove River. The farms and orchards were no longer prospering and eventually with the depression there was the need to provide ‘relief work’. The work started in 1937 and by 1938 the park was open. Many of the decisions made at the time, such as planting exotic trees and building the weir would not be considered environmental appropriate today, but taken as a whole they have led to the protection of the Lane Cove Valley environment as well as providing a recreation area for a growing local population.
Fairyland
In the 1890s the government of the day decided to sell off part of the Field of Mars Common to fund the building of the Fig Tree Bridge at Hunters Hill. One of the plots was purchased by the Swan family who started a small holding growing strawberries. Gradually this developed into a tourist park that they called Fairyland. From the turn of the century until the early 1950s it prospered with thousands of visitors. In the early days most came by boat. It gradually lost its appeal as people turned to cars, closing in the late 60s and eventually being absorbed into the Lane Cove National Park.
Maria and Thomas Jenkins from a family album.
The Jenkins Family
Maria was born in the valley, the grand daughter of one of the original settlers in the area, William Henry. (see story below).
In 1842 the government of the day decided to sell off areas of what had been her grandfather’s disputed original land grant. She and her husband Thomas purchased a portion on the eastern bank of the river, that included the area that is now the Park headquarters. They established a successful orchard, Millwood, and built a house, Waterview. That house had a separate stone built kitchen which survives to today, as what we now know as Jenkin’s Kitchen. It also had a wharf where their own steamer ‘Nellie’ could dock and carry their produce to market in Sydney. The farm and business continued until 1937 when it was sold to establish the park. In 1943 the family had a reunion in the park attended by more than 100 family members.
The kitchen from the Jenkin’s family homestead has been restored and reused as the park’s information center. See PROJECTS.
John Macarthur, William Bligh and William (Loyal) Henry
Loyal Henry and the Rum Rebellion
William Henry came to Australia as a convict. Initially things did not go too well and he received punishments including a number of lashes, but they improved dramatically after he was sent to the new timber camp at Fiddens Warf. While there, somehow he became known to Governor Bligh who promised him a grant of 1000 acres in an area near to today’s park headquarters. Later he added a further 1000 acres of leased land. However soon after making the grant promise, Bligh was toppled in the ‘Rum Rebellion’ and it was never confirmed in writing. He earnt the name ‘Loyal’ as he continued to support Bligh. This upset Macarthur who eventually had him thrown off the land and sent to Newcastle a place of secondary punishment where he received a further 100 lashes.
In later years he returned to live with his granddaughter at Millwood and was eventually exonerated, but died before receiving the promised compensation.
1862 map of the Field of Mars Common, from Pictorial History of Ryde.
The Field of Mars
Very early in the settlement of Sydney Governor Phillip made a number of small grants to marines in the area that is now part of Ryde. The settlement was named the Field of Mars because of its military connection. Many of the grants proved to be too small to support the settlers and as a result In 1804 Governor King set aside an area of around 2500 hectares that became known as the Field of Mars Common. This area was to be use by all of the local community to run stock and for firewood collection. It ran along the western side of the Lane Cove River from near what is now the Gladesville Bridge all the way to Pennant Hills in the north.. Between 1885 and 1900 most of the common was sold, mainly to provide funds for the building of the Fig Tree and Iron Cove Bridges. The sale included the block that later became Fairylands. A relatively small area of 45 hectares of land between Strangers Creek and Buffalo Creek was retained by the government. This was set aside as an area for public recreation and was given to the newly formed Ryde Municipal Council to manage. A portion became a cemetery and later the remainder became the present Field of Mars Reserve.
Heritage Buildings
There are numerous heritage buildings within the park. The restoration of Jenkins Kitchen is covered in the grants section.
However there is another, stone cottage of a similar age , Bakers Cottage built in 1865 restored in 2009 with the assistance of a $40,000 internal grant from DECC. A hidden gem, it can be reached by following the Heritage Walk.
Bakers Cottage, built in 1865, restored 2009.
A 1940’s photo of a rock carving in the park from the Thistlethwaite Collection held by Ku-ring-gai Library.
Indigenous Heritage
While the European history of Australia goes back just over two hundred years the Indigenous history is measured in thousands of years. There are sites in Australia that have been scientifically dated to around 60 thousand years ago. In the Sydney area we have sites dated to as far back as 29 thousand years. However, the Lane Cove River valley would have been a very different place at that time. Around 12,000 years ago during the last ice age the sea level was up to 120 meters lower than it is today, you could walk to Tasmania. The Lane Cove River would have been a mere upland trickle, not a particularly attractive place to live. Many early habitation sites would be underwater now. It is only around 6,000 years ago that the sea and therefore the Lane Cove River stabalised at much the same level as it is today.
With the sea levels as they are now the valley would have become a very inviting place to live. The people were resourceful and there were ample resources for them to utilize. From the salt water there would have been fish, shellfish and water birds, a whole different set of resources from the fresh water up stream including turtles and eels, and then there were the terrestrial plants and animals surrounding the river valley. The annual mullet run in the river would have been a particular time of plenty, there was ample time to develop a rich culture.
The time of plenty for the indigenous inhabitants came to a sudden end after 1788, first there was disease, including what was thought to be small- pox, and then, when the clans were in a weakened condition, disposition. Because this all happened in the early years of the colony the details are sketchy, however, more research is being done and hopefully over the years more information will be uncovered.
If you look carefully the indigenous inhabitants have left many signs of their life in the valley. Including shell middens, rock shelters and carvings scattered throughout the area that is now the park, all are protected all should be respected.
For more information on the history of the area see, The Upper Lane Cove : history, heritage, bibliography / Lynne McLoughlin and Margaret Wyatt
Historic River Dredging and riparian areas
Dredging at Sugar Loaf Point in the 1960s. Photo NPWS.
When looking at current problems it is important to look at an areas history. This section of the park was leased to sand miners during the 1960s. Resulting in a massive amount of damage to Salt Marsh and other riparian areas.
See this 2011 ‘Blog’ for an interesting story on the rehabilitation of this area. http://www.growingpassion.org/2011/11/saltmarsh-regeneration-of-endangered.html