Sheila, married Norman M Hunter in 1955 and they lived in Avoca Beach all their married life. They had two children, Norman Jnr and Sara. Norman and Sheila were a well known couple on the Central Coast NSW with Norman a well know Real Estate Agent who also built, owned and operated Avoca Beach Picture Theatre in Avoca, as well as amassing an amazing Natural History Collection that was known and studied world wide and together they were part of many groups and associations in the area. It was soon after their marriage that they faced the loss of Normans orchard on the Nepean River at Birds Eye Corner, Castlereagh, due to dust from the Gravel pit from the next door farm at Castlereagh, near Penrith NSW. This same orchard was the first farm in the area in 1801 at ‘Jacksons Ford’ or ‘Birds Eye Corner’ at Castlereagh (known in the book as Riverbend).
In 2000, her beloved husband and fellow adventurer, Norman, died from Dementia and she unfortunately followed only two years later from Cancer.
Sara Powter 2016
Bird’s Eye CornerThe Farm at Birdseye corner at Castlereagh NSW was the original farm in the area. First farmed in about 1801. The Orchard and named “Nerrigundah” that was the cause of the dust is now the Olympic Rowing Stadium.
Bird’s Eye Corner and General Castlereagh Info.
Castlereagh Cemetery is situated on the northern corner of Church Lane and Wilchard Road at Castlereagh. The only area to show that people are buried there is the two acres classed as the Anglican section of the original forty acre site put aside for the Castlereagh Cemetery. Originally Governor Macquarie decreed that every cemetery would be enclosed by a post and rail fence (a gate has recently been added to this). The cemetery is all that is left of the original five towns that Governor Macquarie laid out in 1810. The Nepean River Flats at Birds Eye Corner were unofficially settled by families which included the Russells, Randalls, Ropes, Colless’, Fields, Collits’, Fredericks, Morns, Lees, Lewis’ and McCarthys, around the 1800 many of these properties were ratified by grants by Governor King between 1803 and 1806.
from http://www.davidrawsthorne.com/familytree/cemetery.php?searchcem=castlereagh
This web site is full of useful info about Bird’s Eye Corner,
http://www.lachlanhunter.deadsetfreestuff.com/JB/Byrnes-200.htm
Norman McLean Hunter purchased the land at Bird’s Eye corner Castlereagh nr Penrith in ca 1924 from “George Beazley”.
George Colless
b 4 July 1773 in Portsea, Hampshire England UK
arrived as Convict 1798 on “Barwell” arrested for theft of a ‘gown piece’ in Feb 1793 sentenced to death reprieved and sentenced for 7 years transportation
Served out his time (two years) at Penrith and became a free man in 1800. Worked as a share farmer and by 1823 had accumulated over 80 acres of farmland. George was assigned Ann Goodwin and together they had 10 children. They stayed in the Penrith area until 1830’s when they moved inland, eventually ending up at Walgett. Some of their children stayed and it is from them that the Penrith connections exists. http://www.colless.org/
d 15 July 1851 Emu Plains
(George received a land grant in 1814 on Nepean area (as Collis)
partner from 1804 Ann Goodwin. Ann was assigned to George as housekeeper in 1804 they did not marry. One party or other may have been married in UK.
b ca 1780 England UK to William and Ann Goodwin UK
arrived as Convict 1804 on “Experiment”
d 27 Aug 1853 Castlereagh
Children 9 (possibly/probably a 10th)
NB.
Through the generations the Colless family married in to Hunter family (Sheila’s husbands family) - through three different links. In the 1920’s to 40’s Norman, Sheila’s husband, and his brother Mervyn, bought the first of the farms that had originally been farmed by George Colless, way back in the 1800’s. They farmed it until the dust from the neighbouring gravel pits killed the trees and in 1957 they lost a court case against the company who owned the gravel company. There persevered farming until mid 1970’s when the Orchard was eventually sold. During WW2 many soldiers spent the leave on this farm. It and other family farms, supplied much produce for “Miss Bishop’s” catering Company during the Depression.
The gravel pit at Castlereagh NSW near Penrith, was developed as a rowing course and water park. It was used in the Sydney 2000 Olympics for the Rowing Course. The company acquired the entire orchard and all the orchard removed.
Also By This Author
Available from Amazon and on Kindle.
Australiana Trilogy
“Ricky”
The Story of a boy in Colonial Australia
“Mattie”
The Story of an Australian Convict Child
Coming Soon
“Reef Holiday”
Adventures of children discovering
the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland Australia.
“Life with Norman”
and Sheila’s Autobiography.
and other short stories.
find Sheila’s page on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Sheila-Hunter-841584135879644/
* * *
[1] Cuillins - the Main mountains in Isle of Skye
[2] Bairns - the word for Children in Scotland.
[3] Ceilidh - Scottish social gathering with food, dancing & music
[4] Seanmhair - Scottish for grandmother - literally means ‘old mother’
[5] Highlands
[6] named in 1826 after Gov. Ralph Darling
[7] Australia =12 December 1817, Macquarie recommended to the Colonial Office that it be formally adopted. In 1824, the Admiralty agreed that the continent should be known officially as Australia.
[8]AntipodesIn geography, theantipodes any place on Earth is the point on the Earth's surface which is diametrically opposite to it.
[9] Based on life of John Ellison, convict 1792 “Albermarle”
[10] Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year (Gregorian calendar) in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year’s Day (1 January) or, in some cases, 2 January.
[11] a social event with Scottish or Irish folk music and singing, traditional dancing, and storytelling.
[12] Charles Harpur was born at Windsor, NSW 23 Jan. 1813,
This poem was first published published in The Empire, 27 May 1851
and later in the poet’s poetry collection Poems (1883). This work was published before January 1, 1923, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
[13] Tucker = Australian word for Food
[14] Andrew Lenehan & his brother Michael were Skilled cabinet makers and were well known in the Colony with some special pieces still in Government house Sydney.
The Heather to the Hawkesbury Page 22