Summary

Australia New South Wales Harris Park
National Trust - Experiment Farm Cottage Harris Park, N.S.W.
Mint: Amor
Other Details: Gilt medal issued by the Sydney coin dealer M.R. Roberts. It features an image of the National Trust property Experiment Farm Cottage, 9 Ruse Street, Harris Park, NSW. In 1789 Governor Arthur Phillip placed the former convict James Ruse on the property 'in order to know in what time a man might be able to support himself'. By 1791 Ruse was self-sufficient. He was rewarded with a grant of thirty acres of land, the first in Australia. His land became known as Experiment Farm. In 1794, during a bad drought, Ruse sold the farm to neighbour surgeon John Harris, who built a cottage better described as an Indian bungalow. The cottage today is managed by the National Trust (NSW) and contains a fine collection of Australian Colonial furniture while the cellars house a museum about the life of James Ruse. The National Trust of Australia (NSW) is an independent, non-government, community-based organisation. It was formed in 1945 to prevent the destruction of built and natural heritage. Today it is Australia's oldest and largest organisation for the protection of heritage.

Physical Description

Gilt medal issued by the Sydney coin dealer M.R. Roberts featuring: View of building set in trees, below, EXPERIMENT / FARM COTTAGE / HARRIS PARK / N.S.W. At centre, a gum-twig below an arch, above NATIONAL, below, TRUST

Obverse Description

View of building set in trees, below, EXPERIMENT / FARM COTTAGE / HARRIS PARK / N.S.W.

Reverse Description

At centre, a gum-twig below an arch, above NATIONAL, below, TRUST

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

In 1789 Governor Arthur Phillip placed the former convict James Ruse on the property 'in order to know in what time a man might be able to support himself'. By 1791 Ruse was self-sufficient. He was rewarded with a grant of thirty acres of land, the first in Australia. His land became known as Experiment Farm. In 1794, during a bad drought, Ruse sold the farm to neighbour surgeon John Harris, who built a cottage better described as an Indian bungalow. The cottage today is managed by the National Trust (NSW) and contains a fine collection of Australian Colonial furniture while the cellars house a museum about the life of James Ruse. Experimental Farm Cottage is also listed on the Register of the National Estate. -National Trust of Australia (NSW) web site http://www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/properties/propertexpf.html; Register of the National Estate web site http://www.ahc.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=3026. -D. Tout-Smith 1/12/2003.

More Information