Walker Estate (Yaralla) - leaving the estate

We're going to leave the Walker Estate along that tree-lined road to the right, and head in the direction of the new apartment buildings visible above the trees in the shot below.

Walker Estate (Yaralla) - Horsey scene

This bucolic "gymkhana" scene is in the grounds of the Walker estate which features Yaralla House, seen in the past few days.

Below: Another scene from the estate, looking towards Concord hospital.

Yaralla House - the stables complex

This stables complex was designed by architect John Sulman.

Yaralla House, the Walker Estate, Concord West

Today the start of a series of photos based around the inner-west suburbs of Concord West and Cabarita. To begin with, a journey to another time.

The Yaralla Estate occupied significant amount of land on the southern side of the Parramatta River at Concord West. It started with a grant to an ex-convict then developed as a working farm, continued as a Victorian estate, early twentieth century Edwardian estate, to recent use as part of a hospital. It is historically significant as one of the last large nineteenth century estates remaining in metropolitan Sydney. It is of rare State significance because it incorporates an entire 1790s land grant within its boundaries.

I was astounded when I drove in here to find a parkland and farm-like estate right in the midst of suburban Sydney, which is getting more built up and densely populated by the minute.

We'll have a look at a couple of aspects of the estate in the next few days.

The land was originally granted, in 1797, to Isaac Nichols, a convict-turned-businessman, who became the colony’s first postmaster. He established extensive orchards and vegetable gardens which supplied fruit and other produce to the colony.

Thomas Walker, an important nineteenth century merchant and philanthropist obtained a mortgage on the estate in about 1840. His daugther, Eadith, noted for her philanthropic activities in the early twentieth century lived there until her death in 1937. The house played an important part in social and cultural life in the early twentieth century.

Yaralla House represents the work of two of Australia’s major nineteenth century architects, Edmund Blacket and John Sulman.

In the 1860s Thomas Walker commissioned Edmund Blacket to design a "cottage" on the low rise adjacent to the Parramatta River. Eadith made extensive alterations in 1893-99, using the services of architect and relative-by-marriage, John Sulman. Sulman also designed several of the outbuildings, particularly the stables complex and the dairy building.

Following Dame Eadith Walker’s death the land comprising the Dame Eadith Walker Convalescent Hospital (Yaralla Estate) became vested in the Crown under the Walker Trusts Act 1938. This Act gives the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (now Central Sydney Area Health Service) responsibility for the control, management and administration of the Hospital. Until June 2008 it was used as a dialysis unit. I don;t think it is currently being used, and its future remains unknown.

It is the largest community bequest of its era to survive in an intact form in New South Wales.

The significance of the estate has been recognised by the making of a Permanent Conservation Order under the N.S.W. Heritage Act. The estate is listed on the Register of the National Estates, classified by The National Trust of Australia (NSW) and is also listed as an item of Environmental Heritage by the Concord Municipal Council.

Information from Concord Heritage Society, Walker Estates Sub-Committee

Mangrove Walkway

This mangrove walkway forms part of the Kokoda Memorial Track at Concord West.

Empty pool

This empty backyard swimming pool is at Government House in the Botanic Gardens. I snapped this recently when we were there on an Open Day benefit for victims of the bushfires in Victoria.
As the current Governor doesn't live at the house, and it is used purely for ceremonial purposes, I guess there's not much use for the pool at the moment? Or maybe it's just empty for maintenance?

Exercise with a view, Bondi

This woman stopped on her early morning run long enough to contemplate sunrise over the Pacific Ocean at Bondi. Although in complete shadow now, it would be interesting to spend the day there documenting how the shadow shifts.

Today is City Daily Bloggers' monthly theme day...this month it is Shadows. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

And to look at skies around the world, click here.

NSW Ambulance Band

The band plays under a beautiful tree in the grounds of NSW Government House.

Guest house Government House

To provide extra accommodation, this attractive arts and crafts style house was built in the grounds of Government House prior to the arrival of the Earl of Jersey as Governor in 1891. (He looked like part of the chinless contingent of British aristocracy).

I wonder what it's used for today?

Maidenhair Fern

Some people put themselves through all sorts of cultivational contortions to grow a maidenhair fern. Hours are spent pondering the optimum position for light, spraying mist around to maximise humidity...
Not me. It grows wild down the side passage of my house. Nice ground cover. As in smother-cover for the weeds which would otherwise flourish. Mind you, weeds are only plants which you've decided you don't want - there. If anything were calculated to drive me nuts because of its insidious little rhizomes it would be oxalis. In England, my friends look upon it as a fine garden plant.

Sally's green thumb tip for the busy blogger: If it requires anything more than a few weeds being pulled out every few months, or a light prune to prevent it taking over the house, it's not for me. In my garden, you're on your own. This means roses long since bit the dust (black spot in Sydney's humid summers), and some years the camellias look a bit pathetic, but hey, there's always next year to look forward to. Thanks to water restrictions, it's years since I watered anything (other than dumping the odd bucket of grey water outside)...I can't be bothered trying to remember which days and between what hours you can water...and it must be two and a half decades since any plant was welcome inside. Despite all this cruel neglect, my small garden flourishes in Sydney's benign climate. Lucky plants!