690 president's address. 



of "Ijurstiug up'' such estates near Sydney, and I at length was forced to subdivide 

 it, and let it out on lease. But my brother,' he added, 'however much it might have 

 added to his income, would never have allowed a tree or shrub to be removed.' " 

 [Life and Letters of Viscount Sherbrooke, Vol. i., p. 103, footnote.] 



This statement is one aspect of an old story — the ine\'itably increasing pres- 

 sure, due to the expansion of a young and steadily growing city and its suburbs, 

 on the open spaces within or contiguous to their boundaries, necessitating the sub- 

 ordination of private interests to general needs. The wi-iter of the remarks quoted 

 slightly misunderstood his informant. As a matter of fact, Elizabeth Bay House, 

 surrounded by a much circumscribed garden, was left intact. But, by the forma- 

 tion of new streets, including Ithaca Road, Billyard Avenue, and Onslow Avenue, 

 the outlying portion of the original garden was cut off from the remnant adjacent 

 to the house, subdivided, and let on long leases in 1875, as the entail could not be 

 cut off during the lifetime of any male member of the family. In the meantime, 

 as soon as circumstances permitted. Sir William Macleay became the tenant on 

 long lease, of the house and of some of the allotments bounded by Ithaca Road and 

 Billyard Avenue, on two of which the Society's Hall now stands. His occupancy 

 of the house lasted for the rest of his lifetime, until December 1891 ; and, there- 

 after. Lady Macleay's continued until her decease in August, 1903. With the ex- 

 ception of one year, when the house was sublet furnished during Lady Macleay's 

 absence in England, after Sir William's death, the old house was continuously 

 occupied by members of the family, from 1837 to 1903. The fate of the old 

 garden lias been similar to that of many others in Sydney and its neighbourhood. 

 But under the circumstances of the case, its history and associations are wortliy of 

 record. The picture referred to may have been painted by Conrad Martens, for 

 the view of the house and grounds from slightly different standpoints at Darling 

 Point was a favourite one of this well-known artist. By the kindness of the 

 Council of the Royal Society of Tasmania and Mr. Clive Lord I am able to exhibit a 

 photograph of a pencil drawing of Elizabeth Bay House taken from Darling Point, 

 by Conrad Martens. 



But Alexander Macleay was not interested in horticulture only so far as 

 the garden at Elizabeth Bay was coneenied. In the letter from Mre. Macleay to 

 her son W. S. Macleay, from which I have already quoted, she says [about June, 

 1827]: "Your Father will soon become a large landed proprietor here; he has 

 [purchased 15,000 acres about 40 miles out of Sydney; and he has got a son of 

 David Brodie's for an overseer there." The property here referred to comprised 

 Brownlow Hill, near Camden, and Glendarewel farm attached to Brownlow Hill, 

 as mentioned by Captain Sturt in the account of his second expedition "to follow 

 the waters of the Morumbidgee " ["Two Exjieditions," Vol. ii., pp. 9 and 11.] 



Mr. A. Macleay's efforts to develop horticulture were not confined to Elizabeth 

 Bay, but were extended to Brownlow Hill. Mr. .T. Backhouse records, in his 

 "Narrative." under date October 19th, 183(i— "Departing from .Tarvis Field [the 

 residence of the Police-magistrate] we .... proceeded throngli open 

 grassy-forest, to the Cow-pastures, where, at Bruwnlowe Hill, we were welcomed 

 by George and James M'Leay, sons of our kind friend the Colonial Secretary. 

 . We visited the agricultural establishment of the ^VI'Leays, on the 

 Mount Hunter Creek, where they have a garden, producing Oranges. Apples, 

 Loquats, Pears, Plums. Cherries. Figs. ^lulben-ies, ]\redlars. Raspberries, Straw- 

 berries, and Gooseberries, and where Roses are in gi'eat profusion." 



