A bit of history.
Castle Hill Heritage Park, is a nationally significant site being one of the earliest and potentially least known Government Farms and was infamous as the staging point for the first-ever convict rebellion on Australian soil in 1804.
Heritage Park is the site of the old prison where Irish convicts broke free on March 4, 1804, intending to raise a convict army of 200 to march to Parramatta and freedom. It ended with the death of 15 convicts including the leaders Cunningham and Johnston who were executed at the hands of British redcoat soldiers at the Battle of Vinegar Hill where Castlebrook Memorial Park is now.
The bicentenary of the rebellion was commemorated in 2004, with a variety of events. The re-enactment in 2004 was significant in that exact numbers were recruited to form the rebels, the militia and the military. The event was held near the original site on a similar landscape.
The battle has been depicted on screen. An Australian 1978 TV series, Against the Wind, included a dramatization over two episodes of the build-up to and ultimate defeat of the rebellion. A monument commemorating the battle was erected at Castlebrook Memorial Park, on Windsor Road, Rouse Hill. It was dedicated in March 1988.
A stroll around the park will bring to life the story of the convicts and their fateful quest for freedom as well as the early settlers of the district. The main walking track has educational signs that follow a timeline history of the land from the use by the Dharug people, through establishment of the convict farm, church glebe, lunatic asylum, orchards and small farm holdings.
The park is also home to the critically endangered ecological community Blue Gum High Forest and is one of the largest remaining stands of Blue Gum High Forest reserved in the world.
The renewed park was officially opened by Her Excellency Prof Marie Bashir, Governor of New South Wales, in March 2004 and features excellent interpretative signage on the colourful history of this park.
The Cache
This is straight forward 3 stage multicache, no tricks, no postman and definitely no monkeys. Although you may encounter Betty the Yet if you are lucky.
The cache can be found at S33 43.ABC E151 00.DEF based on the following information collected at the 2 waypoints.
Waypoint 1 (Published Coordinates) - The Convict Well
- The site was selected as a governmant farm that was established in18A1
- Governor Phillip led an expedition from Parramatta to the Hawkesbury River in 17B1
- He was guided by C aboriginies.
Waypoint 2 - Dharug Occupation
- Lunatic Asylum: sum of last 2 digits = D
- Government Farm: Number of 1's = E
- Church and School: Last digit = F
Check Sum all digits: East - 24 South - 22
I hope you have fun and enjoy this fantastic area!! You may even discover something new (or indeed old at GZ)