Elizabeth Farm Estate is a historic property in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. Built in 1793 on a small hill overlooking the headwaters of the Parramatta River, the farm was the home of the family of John and Elizabeth MacArthur. А the land belonged to the Aboriginal Burramattagal clan of the Dharug - the name of the clan is still heard today in the name of the Parramatta neighbourhood.
In the late 1820s, the small 3-room brick cottage was converted into a real estate surrounded by a park, greenhouses and nearly a thousand acres of land. Despite later remodelling, that very first cottage has remained intact, making it Australia's oldest European migrant dwelling. Today it is a museum open to the public.
The estate is furnished with maquettes and replicas of items that belonged to the Macarthurs. Impressive cedar woodwork has been meticulously restored along with the wall colouring, furniture upholstery and ceiling coverings, which recreates the atmosphere of an early 19th century home of an early 19th century home. The garden with fruit trees and vegetable garden has also been carefully recreated. It is interesting that in this house-museum you can not only look at the items of of Australian life two centuries ago, but you can also immerse yourself in that world - you can sit on chairs, leaf through letters, play the piano or have tea by the fireplace. The interiors of the house, combined with the guide's narration, allow you to experience the story of a family at the centre of colonial life: Abandoned far from home in a place full of danger, forced to cope with isolation and loss, they endured adversity to ensure that their family had a decent life. The museum's exhibits keep you thinking, asking yourself questions, searching for answers - what were the MacArthurs like? How did they live here? What what made them risk everything and go to Australia? What happened to to the Aboriginal Burramattagal, Wangal and Wategora clans who owned the land. land and the hundreds of prisoners and servants who worked here?
The story of the MacArthur family is quite interesting and revealing. Arriving in the dreary colonial city of Sydney, young soldier John MacArthur, along with his wife Elizabeth and seven children, he was determined to do his best to feed his family. On the "green" continent, John took up wool trading and farming, which in the decades that followed, along with his political ambitions, made the MacArthur family one of the most prominent in colonial society.
Changes in the architecture of the estate reflected the growing wealth of the of the powerful family in the first decades of the 19th century. John MacArthur's predilection for Classical style is evident in the fine furniture, plasterwork, and finishing materials. However, as the mental health of John MacArthur's mental health declined, so did the restoration work on the house. John died in 1834, his wife Elizabeth in 1850. Up until 1904, the estate changed hands several times until, much reduced in size, it became the the property of William and Elizabeth Swann. It wasn't until 1984 that the Elizabeth Farm" was turned into a museum.
