Built between 1815-1819. Located Dunsmore Street, Rooty Hill South.
Also known as the Rooty Hill Government Farm and (in latter years) as
Thornleigh & Stratton. Originally established by Governor Macquarie
and was the former residence of the Superintendent of the stock farm.
The residence was also used by Governor Macquarie and other passing
travellers. Sadly little remains today apart from a 5m wide brick pit
which may have been a well and various debris which may have been
connected with the depot or some subsequent land use. The residence was
demolished c.1960 and the area today is almost completely overgrown.
Very little is known about the history of the site other than that it
was a stock farm, whose original boundary was essentially the present
City of Blacktown (which in itself gives the site considerable
historical signmificance). The Government Depot was located at Rooty
Hill in 1813, possibly to replace the Government Farm at Castle Hill
following the rebellion there and the Battle of Vinegar Hill, and was
mainly used for grazing by the government herd.
The area is fenced off and some distance from the road, and this,
combined with the overgrouwn nature of the area, means direct
inspection of the site would be difficult, if not impossible.