Annandale on the Web
Established 1998
Established 1998
The arrival of the First Fleet, saw the aggressive dispossession of land, and the introduction of diseases, such as small pox. Within 18 months the Gadigal clan' numbers had been decimated.
In 1793, the land between the two Creeks and Harbour, was given to George Johnston, a Marine who had supervised the transportation of convicts in the First Fleet. George re-named the area Annandale after his birthplace Annan, Scotland, in the tradition of another Scottish emigre. A century earlier, Col. William H. Fitzhugh had named Annandale, Virginia, USA.
Enroute to Australia, Johnston met Ester Abrahams, a convict he was supervising.
The turpentine and iron bark forest was cleared, to make way for agriculture and, any remnants of the original vegetation, were subsequently wiped out by urbanisation. The Rozelle Bay Community Native nursery is now undertaking projects to recreate pockets of original forest in public spaces.
George and Ester developed their estate to eventually include a bakery, smithy, slaughterhouse, butchery, stores, vineyard and orangerie. In 1799 they built Annandale House south west of the present intersection, of Parramatta Road and Johnston St.
. Annandale House was demolished in 1914, its gates were relocated to Annandale School. There are also photographs of Annandale House in Picture Australia.
The Johnstons in the Newspapers
This page www.ramin.com.au/annandale/story2.shtml last Updated: 16 September 2008.