Richmond
Richmond, in Sydney's north-west, is the second largest of the Macquarie Towns, five towns created by Gov. Macquarie in the Hawkesbury region during his ten years as Governor of NSW in the 1810s. It still has a substantial number of interesting, historic buildings, though it has been greatly changed by a population boom and the inevitable modern developments. The expansion of the Sydney suburban area has almost reached Richmond and it is now considered to be an outer suburb of Sydney, even though it is around 65 km by road from Sydney. Richmond railway station is the terminus of the Richmond branch of the North Shore, Northern and Western Line of the Sydney Trains network.
The atmosphere of the historic towns of Windsor, Richmond and St. Albans, together with the quaint rural settlements of Kurrajong, Bilpin, Lower Portland, Ebenezer, Pitt Town, Colo and Wiseman s Ferry, contributes to the uniqueness of the truly picturesque Upper Hawkesbury River region. Since 1794, when the first settlers arrived to farm their 30 acres the area has been supplying fresh produce to Sydney. This continues today with many of the descendants from the first settlers still working and living in the district.
Richmond is surrounded by the 329 km2 Richmond Woodlands Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of the importance of the patches of remnant eucalypt woodland it contains for endangered Regent Honeyeaters and Swift Parrots. There is a good walking map available locally which identifies each of the historic houses and provides more detailed history. While much of Richmond is modern, this collection of houses and buildings is a reminder that here is a township which dates back to the earliest years of European settlement in Australia.
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Located on Richmond Road between Richmond and Windsor, Richmond is home to a Royal Australian Air Force base, which was established in 1923. The air base is currently the home to the RAAF's transport squadrons. During the Vietnam War, logistic support and medical evacuations were supplied by the C-130 Hercules aircraft from RAAF Richmond. As you pass the air base recall that people were conducting aviation experiments at Richmond as early as 1916 and that by 1925 the land for the air force base had already been acquired by the RAAF. This may be the area of some of Australia's earliest European settlements but it's also the area for some of Australia's earliest aviation experiments.
The Hawkesbury Agricultural College opened in 1891 and quickly established a reputation as the finest agricultural college in the country. Students arrived at the college in 1896 and it was around this time that the Stables Square (1896) was completed to cater for the draught horses which, at the time, were the standard form of farm energy and the Blacksmiths Shop (1894) were built. Both these buildings are reminders of a time when the horse was integral to all farming activity.
The Darug people were the native people to the area in 1788. As early as 1789 Governor Phillip had explored the district and, although it was considered isolated, the colony's need for food and the richness of the alluvial Hawkesbury river flats, ensured early settlement. It was Phillip who climbed a small hill near the river and named it Richmond Hill in honour of Charles Lennox, the third Duke of Richmond who was Master General of Ordnance in the Pitt administration.
The local area was the third area to have European settlement in Australia after Sydney and Parramatta. The first 22 European settlers came to the area in 1794. They came to farm a total of 30 acres (12 ha) in what is now Pitt Town Bottoms. They needed good farming land to help overcome the desperate need for food in the new colony. By 1799 this region was producing about half the grain produced in the colony.
The Battle of Richmond Hill took place in May and June 1795 between the Darug people and the European settlers. It is perhaps the first time that the colonial authorities sent in the troopers and expressly stated their intent to 'destroy' the whole local Aboriginal population of an area.
Around 1811 Macquarie established the five Macquarie Towns in the area: Windsor, Richmond, Castlereagh, Wilberforce and Pitt Town. One of the early settlers, James Blackman,[2] built Bowman Cottage from brick nog, a common construction technique in the colony, using money borrowed from William Cox. The house was constructed between the years 1815 and 1818. James was unable to pay his debts and was forced to sell the property to George Bowman. The building was restored by the NSW Public Works Department and then became a Division of the Australian Foundation for the Disabled, providing employment for the disabled.
During World War II the RAAF operated a top secret operations bunker from somewhere in Richmond. It was either half or completely underground. This intact bunker was identical to the Bankstown Bunker which is currently buried under a public park in Bankstown.
The local area was the third area to have European settlement in Australia after Sydney and Parramatta. The first 22 European settlers came to the area in 1794. They came to farm a total of 30 acres (12 ha) in what is now Pitt Town Bottoms. They needed good farming land to help overcome the desperate need for food in the new colony. By 1799 this region was producing about half the grain produced in the colony.
The Battle of Richmond Hill took place in May and June 1795 between the Darug people and the European settlers. It is perhaps the first time that the colonial authorities sent in the troopers and expressly stated their intent to 'destroy' the whole local Aboriginal population of an area.
Around 1811 Macquarie established the five Macquarie Towns in the area: Windsor, Richmond, Castlereagh, Wilberforce and Pitt Town. One of the early settlers, James Blackman,[2] built Bowman Cottage from brick nog, a common construction technique in the colony, using money borrowed from William Cox. The house was constructed between the years 1815 and 1818. James was unable to pay his debts and was forced to sell the property to George Bowman. The building was restored by the NSW Public Works Department and then became a Division of the Australian Foundation for the Disabled, providing employment for the disabled.
During World War II the RAAF operated a top secret operations bunker from somewhere in Richmond. It was either half or completely underground. This intact bunker was identical to the Bankstown Bunker which is currently buried under a public park in Bankstown.
