Tuggeranong Suburbs - MACARTHUR Multi-Cache
Tuggeranong Suburbs - MACARTHUR
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Number 4 in the Tuggeranong Suburbs series......
The suburb of Macarthur is named after John Macarthur, one of the founders of Australia's Merino wool industry.
It was gazetted on 22 March 1982 and first settled in 1983. The wool industry is the theme for street names.
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John Macarthur was born in Plymouth, Devon, the second son of Alexander Macarthur. His exact date of birth is unknown, but it is known that his birth was registered on 3 September 1767.
After his schooling and moving into stock management, Macarthur eventually realised that the economic potential of wool production for export far exceeded that of rearing sheep primarily for the provision of mutton within the colony. Initially, however, he did reared sheep for mutton, purchasing his first flock in 1795.
In 1797, Macarthur purchased a portion of a small flock of Spanish Merinos imported from Cape Colony by Captain Waterhouse, a Royal Navy officer who had been despatched to the Cape by Governor Hunter to obtain ‘live cattle’. The Merinos, including three rams, were bought by several landowners, including Samuel Marsden.
By 1801, Macarthur was the largest sheep rearer in the colony, although he was certainly not the only landowner to have experimented with the breeding of fine-wooled sheep. As late as July 1800, there is no evidence of any ‘prophetic word’ from Macarthur about the future of Spanish wool: at that time he was considering selling his entire flock.
On a return visit to London, Macarthur lobbied extensively in support of his interests back in New South Wales. The Colonial Secretary, Lord Camden, was highly supportive and backed Macarthur for a grant of 10,000 acres (40 km²) of his choosing. Sir Joseph Banks, however, was not impressed with either Macarthur or his commercial venture. When Macarthur failed to conceal his low opinion of Banks, Banks became a strong opponent of the plan and had the grant halved.
When he arrived back in Sydney in 1805 Macarthur further antagonised local authorities by claiming his 5,000 acres (20 km²) in the Cowpastures. This was prime grazing land, well supplied by water from the Nepean river, and reserved by the Governor exclusively for the colony's cattle herds.
Both Governors King and Bligh strongly objected to this and wanted the grant moved, but the Colonial Office wrote back affirming Macarthur's right to the land. Macarthur named it Camden Park after his patron.
Macarthur also established Australia's first commercial vineyard. He imported vine plants when he returned to New South Wales in 1817, which he successfully cultivated at Camden Park.
He was a founding investor in both the Australian Agricultural Company (London 1824) and the Bank of Australia (1826). His involvement in the Rum Rebellion blocked him from being appointed as a magistrate in 1822 but in 1825 he was nominated to the NSW Legislative Council where he served until 1832 when he was suspended due to his failing mental health.
John Macarthur died at Camden in 1834. His numerous and wealthy descendants remained influential in New South Wales affairs for many years. As the Macarthur-Onslows they are still wealthy but no longer prominent in public life.
In recognition of his contribution to Australian agriculture, Macarthur was honoured by a postage stamp issued on the centenary of his death in 1934 (depicting a merino ram). His image, along with a merino ram, appeared on the first Australian $2 note in 1966.
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This cache is another single off set multi. At the listed co-ords, you will find a large sign with an 8 digit phone number. Using this 8 digit number as ABCDEFGH, calculate GZ as:
S 35 23 (B+D) G B
E 149 07 G A (B+E)
GZ should be approx 1200 metres away.
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*******FTF - Norkmeister*******
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Lrc, haqre n ebpx.
Treasures
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