Tocal, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tocal New South Wales
Tocal Location in New South Wales
Postcode(s)	2421
Location	11 km (7 mi) N of Maitland 180 km (112 mi) N of Sydney
LGA(s)	City of Maitland
County	Durham
Parish	Middlehope
State electorate(s)	Maitland
Federal Division(s)	Paterson
Suburbs around Tocal: Paterson Tocal Duns Creek Mindaribba Woodville

Tocal is a special place in the lower Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia. Its name means 'plenty' in the local Aboriginal language. Tocal is about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) north of Maitland and 180 kilometres (110 mi) north of Sydney. It sits where the Paterson River meets Webbers Creek.

Before Europeans arrived, Tocal was home to the Gringai clan of the Wonnarua people. Later, it became a large farm with a main house. Today, Tocal has old farm buildings from the 1820s. It also has a visitor center and the CB Alexander Campus of Tocal Agricultural College. This college teaches students about farming.

Tocal's Past: A Journey Through Time

The Tocal area is the traditional land of the Gringai clan. They are a group of Indigenous Australians. You can find Aboriginal stone grindings here. These show that people lived and worked in this area for thousands of years.

Early European Settlement and Farming

In 1822, James Phillips Webber was given land here by the government. Around 150 convict men and boys worked at Tocal between 1822 and 1840. They cleared the land, planted crops, and built fences. This turned the area into a big farm. They grew wheat, barley, tobacco, and grapes. They also raised beef and dairy cattle, horses, and merino sheep.

In 1834, Caleb and Felix Wilson bought Tocal. Felix built a homestead (a large farm house) on the property in 1841. This house is still standing today.

The Reynolds Family Era

In 1844, Charles Reynolds began to lease Tocal. From 1844 to 1926, the Reynolds family ran the property. They focused on breeding top-quality Hereford, Devon, and thoroughbred animals. These were some of the best cattle and horses of their time.

In 1907, Felix Wilson's grandson, David Wilson, sold Tocal to Frank Reynolds, Charles's son.

The Alexander Family and the College

In 1926, Jean Alexander bought Tocal. She lived there with her brothers Robert and Charles Boyd Alexander, and her sister Isabella. Jean passed away in 1938, leaving the property to her youngest brother, Charles.

Charles Boyd Alexander (CB Alexander) made many updates to the farm. He added new technology and machines. He wanted his estate to help create agricultural colleges. He passed away in 1947. His wishes led to the creation of the CB Alexander Agricultural College, Tocal.

Work on the college began in 1963. The Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, opened it in 1965. In 1970, the NSW Department of Agriculture took over running the college.

The Curtis sisters, Myrtle and Marguerita, lived at the homestead until they passed away in 1985. After that, the CB Alexander Foundation took over managing Tocal Homestead. In 1987, Tocal Homestead opened to visitors for the first time. The Tocal Homestead Visitor Centre opened in 2002. It is now a popular place for events like wedding receptions.

Tocal's Special Places: Heritage Listings

Tocal has several sites that are important for their history. These are called heritage-listed sites.

• 815 Tocal Road: Tocal College

The Historic Tocal Homestead

The Tocal Homestead was designed by an architect named Moir in 1841. It was built as a country house. The house has a classic Colonial Georgian style. It is made of sandstock brick with a slate roof. The house has French doors that open onto a verandah.

The sandstone for the house came from Tocal itself. The timber, like cedar and hardwood, came from the local area. Even the bricks were made right on the property. CB Alexander once installed one of the first home elevators in the homestead. It was powered by a kerosene generator. The homestead sits on a small hill, looking over a lagoon. Large fig trees planted when the house was built still stand there today.

The Modern Tocal College Design

The design for the college was chosen through a competition. Philip Cox and Ian McKay created the winning design. They were inspired by the landscape around Tocal. The college buildings were made to blend into the hilltop. The chapel is the main part of the design. The college design won important awards for architecture in 1965.

Tocal Field Days: A Community Event

The first Tocal Field Day was held in May 1984. This event brings people together to learn about farming and see what Tocal offers.

Tocal's Natural Beauty: Diverse Landscapes

Tocal has many different types of landscapes. These include a lagoon, thick forests, open grasslands, and European-style gardens.

The Importance of Water

The large lagoon was a big reason why both Aboriginal people and European settlers liked this area. It provided a constant source of fresh water for people and animals. Being close to the Paterson River was also important for Europeans. The river was a main way to transport goods for 100 years.

Changes to the Land

When Europeans settled, much of the land was cleared. Trees and shrubs were removed for building materials and to make way for crops and grazing animals. More recently, rainforest and wetlands areas have been brought back. These are mixed with smaller areas of farmland. Around the lagoon, you can see poplar and willow trees, which were brought from other places.

The areas around the homestead and college are open grasslands with scattered trees. More native trees are being planted, but these areas will still be used for grazing animals. Efforts are being made to restore the rainforest along Webbers Creek.

The Role of Floods

The lagoon and wetlands at Tocal change a lot because the area often floods. While floods can make farming difficult, the mud and soil they leave behind are very important. This sediment makes the land very fertile for growing crops.