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Sydney Dark Colonial Past at the Parramatta Female Factory
Parramatta Female Factory was Australia’s first purpose built institution for the confinement of convict women and their children from 1821 to 1847. Situated on four acres of land, alongside the Parramatta River, it was commissioned by Governor Macquarie, with the first female convicts transferred from the nearby factory, which was located above the old Parramatta Goal, in 1821. It served as an assignment depot and shelter, a place of industry and punishment, a hospital and also traded as a medical facility for pregnant women. There was also a nursery for orphaned children. Many convict women were held here for an unspecified period of time, whilst waiting to be assigned work,…
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Exploring the Old Parramatta Lunatic Asylum
Founded in 1847, the Lunatic Asylum was purpose built for Invalid Convicts who were coming into Australia. It remained largely a female institution until 1852, and by 1855 with the introduction of males, there were approximately 187 male patients and 92 female. Over the years from 1855, the increase maxed to capacity the facility then housing around 675 males to 384 females by 1885. Most patients were declared criminally insane, and soon after the Criminal Lunatic Act was passed in 1861, work started on a new ward to accommodate them. There was much criticism to the treatment of patients in these new wards which resulted in many of them being…
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Is Parramatta Goal Really Haunted?
Took a stroll through the old Parramatta Goal, learning about some old history and some new. Growing up in Castle Hill, only thirty minutes (or so) from Parramatta, I spent a lot of my years growing up around the Hills area hanging with friends at Parramatta, in the day and the night. Avoiding as many main roads as possible for the drive into town and out of town, I would also take the back streets past the old Parramatta Goal, and often wondered about its past and whether I could take a tour through the old Goal and learn about its history. So, imagine my surprise when I found out…
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Have You Ever Walked Through Parramatta Park in NSW?
If you didn’t know already, Parramatta Park is full of some of Australia’s oldest colonial historical buildings. From the old government house, Wisteria House and an old dairy farm, an hour stroll through the park and you will discover many historical buildings left over from a period in time, which as both dark and enlightening for varying reasons. In October 2019, I booked myself and partner in for a Halloween ghost tour of the old government house after I happened across an online article which detailed how haunted the house was. I love exploring old historical buildings, especially from the colonial period in Australia. But I particularly love it when…
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Horse Riding at Glenworth Valley in Peats Ridge, NSW
Spent an amazing Saturday horse riding through Glenworth Valley on a very cold and wet Sydney day. I haven’t ridden a horse for many years, in-fact the last I rode was back in 2009 when I rode through the incredible New Zealand Alps in Queenstown with my late mother. Of course, I am no expert horse rider, so I felt a little nervous to hop on a horse, as I always rode with my late mum who was an expert horse rider and always boosted my confidence and riding ability when I had very little experience. Mum had been riding horses since she was a very young girl. She absolutely…
