History of Baulkham Hills (the suburb)

Located in the Shire of Baulkham Hills: 31 kilometres north-west of Sydney off Windsor Road

There are several versions of how this high area between Castle Hill and Parramatta was named. The most likely is its resemblance to the pastoral border county of Roxburgh, between Scotland and England, which bears a similar name, Buckholm Hills, the home of one of the area's early settlers. Andrew McDougall, who arrived in Sydney in 1798 from Roxburgh, was one of several settlers to receive grants in the area in 1799. He called his 150 acre grant Roxburgh Hall. The estate remained in the family until 1876 and Roxburgh Hall was built in 1860. McDougall was one of the trustees appointed when 3,000 acres were set aside as Baulkham Hills Common in 1804. Whatever its origin, the name has been officially recognised since 1802.

One of the earliest land grants in the area was of 30 acres given to George Best in 1796. He gradually acquired more land until he had 185 acres. Best's land was acquired by the Masonic Lodge, which began building homes and a school, known as the William Thompson Masonic School, in 1922. It is now owned by Baulkham Hills Shire Council.

The oldest farm-house in the area is Joyce Farmhouse in Valerie Crescent, near Seven Hills. It was built in 1804 by William Joyce, destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1806, and used as an inn between 1811 and 1826. Joyce had received his 30 acre grant in about 1794.

One of the oldest pioneer families in Parramatta came into this area when George Suttor received a grant of 186 acres in 1802 and settled on the property, which he called Chelsea Farm, after his birthplace in London. Here he planted the first orange trees in the district and became a prominent orchardist. He later received another grant, in Bathurst, and the Suttor family moved to the plains beyond the Blue Mountains, but Suttor continued to hold Chelsea Farm until his death in 1859. The main house, Chelsea Farm, was built in 1873 by one of his grandsons.

In 1856, an official post office was opened in the area, followed by a school in 1868.

Parramatta's increasing population affected Baulkham Hills, as more settlers spread into the district to plant orchards in the area's ideal conItions. By 1890 residents were clamouring for better means of transport. As a result of many official discussions, a steam tramline was opened in 1902 to carry passengers from Parramatta Station to Baulkham Hills. The route was along Church Street, over the Lennox Bridge and along Windsor Road to its destination 5 miles away. The tramline was changed to a railway connected to Westmead on 28 January 1923, but the line was closed in February 1932.

Pye's Crossing, over Toongabble Creek, is named after John Pye senior, well-known in Baulkham Hills early development, and Mullane Avenue remembers Mr B. Mullane, once president of the Baulkham Hills Shire Council. A walk through St John's Cemetery at Parramatta will reveal the names of many other pioneers of this formerly quiet rural area.

Reference: The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled & Edited by Frances Pollon, published by Angus & Robertson Publishers 1988