... growing up country ...

An afinity with the natural world accompanies growing up in country Australia - it did for me. Gardening, animals, weather and landscape are second nature to me - they guide and shape every day of my life. My adult enthusiasms resonate with the years that I spent on a farm and in a small country town in NSW in the late 50s and early 60s.

Arriving in a strange place, say London, I need to know where East is and where the weather comes from. In my own city, I survey the lay of the land - literally: where are the old water-courses; what is the quality of the soil here in comparison with there; where did all the sandstone come from for the public buildings; where were the dead buried and how.

I was directed to a 1930 article on early Sydney by the State Library of NSW (aka The Mitchell Library) and by the Fisher Library at The University of Sydney. I feel like a contestant from the old Mastermind: my name is Julie and my topic is the land use of the USYD site from 1792 to 1850.

This fascinating map is dated 1844 which is 5 or 6 years before the State government considered "giving" the land to the Senate of the newly established University. Across the top of this map, running West from right to left, is Parramatta Road. Running diagonally from top right to bottom left is City Road, travelling from Broadway to Newtown. Nestled in their crook is the site of the not-yet-thought-of University of Sydney. I have labelled three interesting - to moi fascinating - physical landmarks.

A in the map is labelled "Petersham Hill" and is the current site of the Main Quadrangle which affords a wonderful view of the current city.

B in the map are two creeks running from Petersham Hll down toward (eventually) the harbour. Today this area is occupied by the ovals (Number 1 Oval, Number 2 Oval and St Johns' Oval). It is no wonder that Lieutenant Governor Francis Grose chose this part of the Crown Reserve for his own farm - always go for a water source.

C in the map is now Lake Northam in Victoria Park - a section of the original reserve that was granted back to the City of Sydney in 1924 in exchange for land further along City Road which is now Eastern Avenue which affords a grand pedestrian walk-way into the campus.