Rose Hill, New South Wales

Founded on the 2 November, 1788, Rose Hill in New South Wales was the first colonial settlement, established by Governor Phillip. On the King's Birthday in 1791 it was renamed to the town of Parramatta , after the indigenous Aborigines of the region, the Burramatta people, a clan of the Darug nation. Both of Australia's oldest buildings are in Parramatta. Old Government House, is located close to the City centre at Parramatta Park and is the oldest public building (1799) while Elizabeth Farm, located in one of Australia's oldest suburbs, Harris Park, is the oldest private building in Australia. Before the English fleet came to Parramatta, Australian Aborigines were living there and their way of living was very different to the English way. The area of Parramatta was known by the Dharug people as Burramatta or Baramada. "Burra" meaning eel and "matta" meaning creek. The people who lived in the area called themselves the Burramattagal. Evidence of Aboriginal occupation exists within the Park along the ridgeline of the Crescent and around Domain Creek. Several scarred trees and artefact scatters have been located. They used the tree parts to build canoes. They ate animals like kangaroos, possums and also fruit, vegetables, mullets, perch, mud oysters and eels. Their way of life didn’t effect the environment. When the English came they brought small pox that killed a large number of Dharug people.

Spelling

Rose Hill is now spelled Rosehill, and applies to an area to the east of Parramatta.

Rosella

A brightly coloured parrot which is found in the Sydney region is named after Rose Hill, albeit with the spelling corrupted to Rosella.

Timeline

18th Century

1788 Site of Rose Hill chosen by Governor Phillip, 24th April. Settlement at Rose Hill founded, 2nd Nov.

1789 First wheat crop harvested at Rose Hill, November. James Ruse established his farm, lst Nov.

1790 'First burial in St. John's Cemetery. Town laid out, June.

1791 James Ruse granted 30 acres upland. Experiment Farm, No. 1 grant, 30th Mar. Rose Hill renamed Parramatta, 4th June. Military barracks completed, May.

1793 Elizabeth Farm House built.

1794 First road constructed to Parramatta.

1796 Log gaol built. First church opened, September.

1798 First inns licensed.

1799 First part Old Government House built.

19th century

1803 First St. John's Church opened, 9th April.

1804 New gaol completed.

1810 First horse-race held, April. John Eyre's school opened.

1811 Town extended by Macquarie.

1814 School for aborigines founded.

1816 New Parsonage built.

1818 New Hospital erected. Orphan School completed.

1820 Military barracks completed. Convict barrack erected. Towers of St. John's Church completed.

1821 First Methodist Church built. Female Factory completed. Brislington built.

1822 Agricultural Society established.

1823 Observatory erected.

1825 Foundation stone of the Darling Mills (Flour) laid on site of present Sydney Woollen Mills.

1832 The King's School opened, 13th February.

1836 The King's School building completed January.

1839 Lennox Bridge completed.

1841 Byrnes Bros. Flour Mills erected.

1843 Parramatta's first newspaper "The Parramatta Chronicle" published. Second St. John's Church opened.

1855 lst Railway opened to Parramatta Junction 26th September, now called Granville.

1856 Railway extended through the county of Cumberland. Line from Granville to Liverpool opened in September.

1857 Parramatta Park created.

1860 Parramatta Rifle Corps formed. Parramatta Fire Brigade established. Railway opened through Parramatta to Blacktown, 4th July.

1861 Borough of Parramatta proclaimed, November.

1870 Parramatta Amateur Dramatic Society formed.

1872 Congregational Church building opened 19th May.

1873 Gas turned into town mains for first time.

1881 Council Chambers erected.

1883 Town Hall completed.

1889 The King's School new chapel opened 8th February.

1890 Friendly Societies form a Medical Institute

20th century

1900 First motor car runs in Parramatta.

Branch railway from Clyde Junction to Rosehill, later extended to Carlingford. Station serves Rosehill Racecourse.

1908 New Friendly Societies Dispensary building opened, 2nd December.

1910 Sewerage scheme completed and taken over by Municipal Council, August.

1915 Electric light used in town for first time. New High School Building opened,officially, 23rd February.

1924 New Masonic Temple opened, 21st May

1925 New Presbyterian Church completed

1936 Third St. Patrick's Church, opened, 26th May

1938 Parramatta proclaimed a City, 27th October

1948 First Greater City of Parramatta Council elected, December. (The Greater City of Parramatta was formed by the amalgamation of Dundas, Granville, Ermington, Rydalmere, and Parramatta.)

1955 The completed maternity unit opened at Parramatta Hospital.

1958 Meals on Wheels service established Children's Library opened in Prince Alfred Park A central library was established in Jubilee Hall within the Town Hall, which incorporated existing children's libraries at Dundas and Epping.

1959 Opening of the Parramatta Leagues Club. A branch library opened at Granville.

1961 David Jones' first suburban store opened.

1962 Silverwater bridge opened.

1964 Central Library Building opened in November.

1975 Westfield complex opened as the largest shopping complex in the southern hemisphere. Survey of historic buildings in the Parramatta CBD completed.

1978 Westmead Hospital opened.

1988 Bicentenary of Parramatta's foundation. 50th anniversary of the declaration of Parramatta as a City. Position of Mayor of Parramatta raised by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the status of Lord Mayor in recognition of Parramatta's significance in the Greater Sydney metropolitan area. Opening of the Riverside Theatre complex in February.

1989 Archaelogical Management Plan of Parramatta CBD completed.

1993 Rivercat Service to Parramatta inaugurated in December.

1998 Opening of the Parramatta Heritage Centre in August.

21st century

2005 Opening of new transport interchange at Parramatta.