Annandale Farm

Annandale Farm New South Wales
Annandale Farm, near Parramatta Road, Australia
Annandale Farm
Nearest town or city	Sydney
Coordinates	33°53.402′S 151°10.031′E / 33.890033°S 151.167183°E / -33.890033; 151.167183Coordinates: 33°53.402′S 151°10.031′E / 33.890033°S 151.167183°E / -33.890033; 151.167183
Established	1793

Annandale Farm was situated six kilometres from Sydney in the present day suburbs of Stanmore and Annandale. Built by George Johnston, it became one of the most successful farms in the early colonial days of New South Wales. Johnston was a Royal Marines officer, and briefly Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales. He was a key figure in the Rum Rebellion of 1808. He rode from the farm to arrest Captain Bligh on January 26, 1808. Also it was from the farm where Johnston marched with his troops to Castle Hill on March 5th, 1804 to quell a convict revolt.

Originally inhabited by the indigenous Eora people. The land was covered in eucalyptus forest. Johnston received grants of land. In May 1793 Johnston received an initial grant of 100 acres (40 hectares), then in 1801 Johnston had a further 602 acres (244 hectares) at Annandale. The original grant was centered around the farmhouse south of Parramatta Road. The farm later expanded north to the foreshores of Sydney Harbour. A key site in Australian colonial history, Annandale Farm served as Johnston's family home and centre of his business interests. It is likely that it was an active centre of colonial politics. The Johnston family were pivotal in the birth and growth of the Australian pastoral industry. Adjoining this land was a property in Camperdown owned by William Bligh, who Johnston overthrew in the Rum Rebellion.