Beautiful Bella Vista House 👩🏻‍🌾 Bella Vista NSW

#pioneer #farm #Freesettlers #australian #history #sydney
Bella Vista Farm has a long history, the grounds first being purchased in 1799, In Major Joseph Foveaux's land Grant. Foveaux's Stock Farm, he acquired more stock than anyone else in Australia for that time. In 1800 Foveaux was appointed as Acting Lieutenant Govenor at Norfolk Island and had to leave his farm behind.
In 1801, Foveaux sold the land to John & Elizabeth Macarthur. The Macarthur's did very well on the land, then being named 'Seven Hills Farm' for the 7 hills they could see from the property and had to travel in the distance.
The Macarthur's had 2 stockmen killed by Indigenous members after a failed theft of sheep. Speaking of sheep, there is evidence that The Macarthur's bred the first Australian Merino Sheep from the grounds.
Not everything ran smoothly though, John was called back to England and was absent from the farm for 13 years. Elizabeth had to run the farm with help from advisors, through drought they battled on, but it became so bad they had to move the stock to another location. In a deal to provide the Macarthur's with more land south with the findings of Camden location, the land was returned to the Crown.
The land was regranted to various people from 1821 including James Robertson, George Acres, Matthew Woodward Pearce and others.
James Robertson calling his portion on 500 acres 'Robertson Farm'. George Acres and wife Isabella called their portion 'Bella Vista'
Isabella buying up the Robertson Farm portion in 1841 along with some others.
Isabella had to return to England and wanted a quick sale, and in 1842 the property became William Thomas Pearce's. Although it wasn't until his son inherited the land that the construction really went forward on the farm.
The Pearce family had the farm for 107 years in which they had a large number of livestock as well as citrus orchards and a dairy, before selling it off in the 1940s.
The grounds still operated as dairy until the 1970s.
We just had to take a look.
Part 2 is the Beautiful Bella Vista House, a single storey cottage built in approx. 1830s and the second storey addition in 1890. Amazing to see up close and tour if you can.
Enjoy!
Haunted & Historic Australia present
Beautiful Bella Vista House 👩🏻‍🌾 Bella Vista NSW
We hope you enjoy this episode,
Please stay tuned for many more,
Thank you
Haunted & Historic Australia
With Special Thanks to the following for invaluable information:
www.mhnsw.au
www.blacktownmemories.recollect.net.au
www.historicalencounters.org
www.geni.com
www.vwma.org.au
Historians Judith & Greg Dunn

[@davexstuntman]

Thanks for part 2, I have to check this place out :)

[@DavidPola1961]

There a still a few of those homes down the road in Seven Hills one on Seven Hills road about 2 klm from Bella Vista Farm and another near Best Rd Seven Hills .The old Johnson House on Vardy's road was knocked down in the 70's unfortunately . I think the old farm house in Kings Langley is still there near the M7

[@leedsman54]

I do think it amusing that Aussies and Yanks call 200 years “historic” when just down the road from me is a church dating back to Saxon times about 1500 years ago! That’s historic! Don’t be offended, , I’m just having a little laugh at your expense. I’ve been to Oz and really like it.