Kellyville is a relatively new and rapidly evolving suburb, with wonderful family homes on large blocks, but the area actually has quite a deep history.
Situated in the Hills District and just 36 kilometres from the Sydney CBD, it boasts a population of around 27,000. If you’re new to the area or thinking of buying a family home here, you may be interested in its long history.
The Hills District
The Hills District, also known as the Hills Shire or simply ‘The Hills’, is named for its relatively hilly topography. ‘Hill’ also pops up in the names of many of the suburbs around Kellyville, including Castle Hill and Box Hill.
The area’s traditional owners are the Dharug people, who resided there as far back as 40,000 years ago in the areas near the Hawkesbury River. Sadly, a 1789 smallpox epidemic killed many of their numbers, and not a great deal is known about their way of life.
The area saw European settlement very soon after the arrival of the First Fleet when pardoned convict William Joyce received the first land grant in the area. He subsequently opened an inn, and the area is now memorialised as William Joyce Reserve.
The history of Kellyville and the White Hart Inn
It is believed Kellyville gets its name from Hugh Kelly, a hotel owner in the area. Kelly’s hotel was called the Bird-in-Hand and sat on the corner of Wrights and Windsor Roads.
Kellyville’s origins as a suburb seem to date from the 1810s, when a land grant was issued and then bought by William Cox Esquire, who subsequently built the White Hart Inn. This inn was to become a popular place to stay and to stable horses on the road to Windsor.
The existence of the White Hart Inn fell out of public knowledge for some years. Experts suspected that an Inn had stood on the site, but since it was mysteriously demolished early in the 20th century, evidence that it existed has been in short supply.
In 2013 though, during the construction of the Sydney Metro Northwest Skytrain, the site of the White Hart was rediscovered. Skytrain contractors moved the destination of one of the Skytrain piers, and archeologists examined the site, establishing that it was indeed the initial location of the White Hart Inn.
Aberdoon House
Another historic building in the area, and one that is still standing, is Aberdoon House.
Located in nearby Rouse Hill, Aberdoon House is a stunning example of Colonial Georgian architecture. Like the White Hart Inn, Aberdoon House also has an air of mystery. It is not known exactly when it was built, but only that it was renovated in 1887. It isn’t even clear who built the house in the first place.
What is known is that the surrounding land was granted to former convict Thomas Clowder in 1818 and that the house is likely the earliest building in the area. It’s also known that it changed hands to none other than Hugh Kelly, owner of the Bird-in-Hand tavern and the man for whom Kellyville is named, in 1826.
Aberdoon House is now run by the North West Disability Services, which hosts many activities to celebrate this piece of Sydney heritage.
Migrant Heritage Walk
It may be just outside Kellyville but for history buffs, you can’t miss the Migrant Heritage Walk.
This easy trail takes you past the Scheyville migrant camp, which was set up after the Second World War to house the influx of immigrants coming into NSW. You can still see the original buildings that housed these immigrants today. There are even panels providing information about the camp and how people lived there.
You will also pass by the historic Casual Labour Farm, the Dreadnought dining hall and dormitory buildings, and the Government Agricultural Training Farm, which operated from the early 1900s to 1939. These places are where many city boys and young British men learned how to become farm workers.
While it is a short walk of only a 1.1-kilometre loop, this historic experience is grade three, so it is not especially easy. However, with so much to see, you will be stopping frequently along the way. Pack some food and water, take precautions against the sun, and enjoy one of the most fascinating historic walks in NSW.
Do you have any interesting insights about Kellyville’s past? Let us know! And if you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Kellyville, please get in touch with the friendly team at Notable Property today – we look forward to hearing from you.
