Wellington Convict and Mission Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wellington Convict and Mission Site |
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| Location | Curtis Street, Wellington, Dubbo Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1823–1844 |
| Official name: Wellington Convict and Mission Site - Maynggu Ganai; Wellington Valley Settlement; Wellington Aboriginal Mission; Government Farm Site | |
| Type | State heritage (landscape) |
| Designated | 22 March 2011 |
| Reference no. | 1859 |
| Type | Post-contact Site |
| Category | Aboriginal |
The Wellington Convict and Mission Site is a heritage-listed former convict agricultural station, Australian Aboriginal mission and cemetery located at Curtis Street, Wellington in the Dubbo Regional Council local government area in New South Wales, Australia. It was built between 1823 and 1844. It is also known as Wellington Convict and Mission Site - Maynggu Ganai, Wellington Valley Settlement, Wellington Aboriginal Mission and Government Farm Site. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 March 2011.
Description
The Wellington Convict and Mission Site is located south of the town of Wellington, it is on the slope of the hills facing to the west. The site is an archaeological site which is located under paddocks, roads and various urban development such as the western portion of land to Mitchell Highway (Curtis Street) which is partially covered by backyards, houses and fences.
There are no standing buildings or ruins from the convict or mission occupation. The most important building, Government House, was located on the brow of the hill looking out across the Bell River and the valley. The soil of the site is red clay loam of basaltic origin with a covering of weeds. There are a number of Kurrajong and Ironbark trees on the slopes and on the brow of the hill. There is little other vegetation.
The possible foundations of a number of the original buildings have been tentatively located and identified from the maps of the period and the descriptions of the site given in journals and in reports to the Government and the Colonial Office. Remnants of the settlement include: Government House foundations, about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) under the soil and river pebbles at the site on Lot 1 DP 120160; remains of a blue granite path on Lot 58; foundations of two military barracks; foundations of two mud huts on Lot 355; three dumps of original handmade bricks at the site of Government House on Lot 1, under trees on Lot 58 and on Lot 50; and Artefactual material (including horseshoes and lengths of chain) which may date from the settlement.
Pioneer Cemetery located on Lot 7018 of DP 1020768 also forms part of the subject site. The cemetery was established by the first commander of the convict station, Lieutenant Percy Simpson, 500 metres (1,600 ft) away from the convict settlement. The earliest burial dates from 1825. The cemetery reportedly contains burials of Aboriginal people from the missionary period of the site, along with former missionaries Reverend Watson, his wife Anne and their infant child.
