Fernhill, Mulgoa facts for kids

Fernhill is a historic estate located in the Mulgoa area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was completed around 1840 as a home for Captain William Cox and his family. The house is built in the Old Colonial Greek Revival style. Its design is thought to be by famous architects like Mortimer Lewis or John Verge.

Today, Fernhill is a private home and a place where horses are bred. It has also been used for many other things over the years, like a farm and a guest house. The property is very large, covering about 688 hectares (1,700 acres). It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999 because of its important history and beautiful landscape.

A Look Back at Fernhill's History

Who Lived Here First?

The land where Fernhill stands today originally belonged to the Mulgowie people. They were an Aboriginal group known as the "Mulgoa tribe." There is a record of an attack on the Cox property by Aboriginal people in 1814.

How the Estate Began

The Mulgoa Valley was an important area for early settlement in New South Wales, starting around 1810. The first land grant here was given by Governor Macquarie to Lieutenant William Cox. Cox was a colonial magistrate and a key figure in the colony's development.

The land grant was for his young son, Edward. This area became known as Fernhills or Fernhill. William Cox is famous for building the first road across the Blue Mountains in 1814. The Cox family were known for creating beautiful homes and gardens.

Building the Grand House

Around 1825, Edward Cox returned from school in England. He started his own estate at Fernhill. In 1827, he married Jane Maria Brooks. They lived at a nearby house called The Cottage for many years.

By the late 1830s, Fernhill was one of the biggest estates in the Mulgoa Valley. In 1842, Edward Cox began building the large sandstone house we see today. It was designed in the Greek Revival style. The house was finished in 1843, and Edward and Jane Cox moved in.

The exact architect of Fernhill is not known for sure. Some believe it was Mortimer Lewis or John Verge. Another architect, Francis Clarke, also worked in the area at that time. Twenty Irish stone masons were brought to Australia to build the house. They used sandstone from the local hills.

The house was planned to have two stories. However, because of a financial downturn in the 1840s, only one story was completed.

Fernhill Through the Years

• Around 1860: Fernhill was described as a "modern mansion" with lovely gardens and a vineyard.
• After 1863: The property went to Edward Cox's son, Edward King Cox. He ran a famous racehorse stud at The Cottage, producing several Melbourne Cup winners.
• 1888: The house and land were sold to Mr. Wright. The house was empty for some years due to an economic recession.
• 1931: Mr. and Mrs. Moyse bought the house and 1,000 acres. They ran it as a guest house.
• Around 1956: Mr. John Darling bought the estate. He was a World War II pilot and a successful businessman. He slowly restored Fernhill.
• Around 1969: John Darling and garden designer Paul Sorensen redesigned the garden around the house.
• 1980: The house and 1,000 acres were sold to property developer Warren Anderson.
• Early 1980s: The house was extensively restored and renovated. New sandstone columns were added to a pergola.
• 2001-2002: Bushfires caused some damage but also helped clear some overgrown plants.
• 2012: Simon and Brenda Tripp bought Fernhill. They used the estate for events like races and concerts.
• 2018: The NSW Government bought Fernhill. This happened after plans to turn part of the estate into a cemetery were not approved.

What Does Fernhill Look Like?

The Beautiful Landscape

Fernhill is located in the Mulgoa Valley, a scenic rural area. The landscape was carefully designed to look like an English park, but using Australian native trees. This was done by removing some native trees to create open, park-like spaces.

The main driveway was planned to offer changing views of the house as you approached. It includes two old sandstone bridges that were built to add to the grandeur of the entrance. The drive is lined with native apple trees, giving glimpses of the house and the nearby St. Thomas' Church.

The Gardens

Around the main house, there is a garden that dates back to the 1840s. Much of it was redesigned by famous garden designer Paul Sorensen around 1969. Some old and important trees still remain, like Bunya pines and Chinese elms.

Sorensen's design included terraces, a swimming pool, and a long pergola (a shaded walkway). The pergola uses old sandstone columns from a demolished club in Sydney, making it a unique feature. Hedges were also planted to create different garden areas, like a screened rose garden.

The House Itself

The Fernhill house is a single-story building made of sandstone. It has a curved section on one side with a stone verandah. This verandah has stone columns that support the roof. Inside, the house has high ceilings because it was originally meant to be two stories tall.

The entrance hall has special rounded corners and niches (alcoves). The house features beautiful cedar woodwork and fancy ceiling decorations. There are also elegant fireplaces. Some details, like the narrow windows next to the front door, suggest that architect Mortimer Lewis might have been involved in the design.

Other Buildings and Features

• Wings and Walls: On the western side of the house, there are stone garden walls. These are remnants of an old courtyard.
• Stables and Coach House: A sandstone building from around 1839 is located behind the main house. It was likely used as a stable and coach house for horses and carriages.
• Winery Ruin: West of the house, there are ruins of an old stone building. It is believed to have been a winery, showing that vineyards once existed at Fernhill.

The entire Fernhill estate, including the house, gardens, and other buildings, still shows its original rural character. It has a strong historical connection to the Cox family's other properties and the nearby St. Thomas' Church.

Why Fernhill is Important

Fernhill is considered very important for several reasons:

• Unique Landscape: It's a rare example in Australia of an English-style landscape garden. This means the natural land was shaped to create a beautiful, romantic look. This was done by thinning native trees rather than planting many new ones.
• Greek Revival Architecture: The house is a beautiful example of Greek Revival architecture. It is very well built and designed.
• Historical Connection: Fernhill is closely linked to the early development of the colony of New South Wales. It was home to Edward Cox, son of the important pioneer William Cox.
• Evidence of History: The fact that the house was not completed with a second story shows the economic difficulties of the 1840s.
• Picturesque Setting: The house is placed on a high point, like a Greek temple on a hill. This allows it to overlook the surrounding countryside for miles.

Fernhill was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999. This means it is recognized as a place of great cultural and historical value to New South Wales.

Who Owned Fernhill?

Here are some of the people who have owned or lived at Fernhill:

• William Cox, 1830–1837
• Edward Cox, 1837–1868
• Edward King Cox, 1868–1883
• Standish Cox, 1883–1896
• Francis Augustus Wright, 1896–????
• Warren Anderson, 1980–2012
• Simon and Brenda Tripp, 2012–
• Government of New South Wales, 2018–

In 2017, there were plans to use part of the land for a new cemetery. However, the NSW Government did not approve this plan. In early 2018, the NSW government bought the estate.

Fernhill in Pop Culture

Fernhill has even appeared on TV! The final episode of season three of The Bachelor was filmed at the estate.