Fernhill, Mulgoa

Aboriginal land The traditional owners of the land now occupied by Cox's Cottage were the Mulgowie people, who became known as the "Mulgoa tribe". The first of the grants, of , made in 1809 to the infant Edward Cox and confirmed by Governor Macquarie the following year, became known as Fernhills or Fernhill. He sailed to New South Wales on the Minerva in 1799. During his 37 years of residence in the early colony, he made a substantial and enduring contribution to its progress in the fields of public administration, building and agricultural development. The Cox family were remarkable "house and garden" people. During the middle years of the 19th century, William Cox Sr. was at Clarendon, near Windsor; his eldest son William, lived at Hobartville, Richmond; his sons Henry, George and Edward were to build and occupy their respective houses of Glenmore, Winbourne and Fernhill at Mulgoa. Another son, James, settled in Van Dieman's Land, where he built his own magnificent Clarendon. Around all these houses the Cox families created beautiful gardens. E. K. Cox was a breeder of fine race horses and Fernhill Stud produced the first Sydney Cup winner and several Melbourne Cup winners. • Darling and garden designer Paul Sorensen reworked the garden around the house. • and earlierthe house was extensively restored and renovated by former owner Darling and then Anderson. The most notable addition has been the sandstone columns (ex the Union Club, Sydney) in the northern pergola. Rookwood General Cemetery Trust confirmed in May 2017 that a sale has not yet occurred, but it has entered into a six-month exclusivity period which will allow the trust to conduct the required due diligence process, commencing with a period of community consultation, the trust's spokeswoman told the Penrith Press. == Description ==

Setting Fernhill is in (on the western side of the middle of) the Mulgoa Valley, a picturesque rural landscape retaining a number of significant colonial and later 19th century farm estates, building complexes and areas of natural bushland. The valley is bounded to the west by the Nepean River and the Blue Mountains National Park, to the east it slopes down to Mulgoa Road and merges with the undulating slopes of Western Sydney. It is characterised by predominantly rural landscape and comprises creek flats, gently sloping agricultural land, wooded hills and escarpment areas. The dam was probably original to the drive - it is shown on plan. It is a similar construction to the dam at The (Cox's) Cottage, Mulgoa to the east.). Other exotic trees of note include coral trees (Erythrina sp.),(extensive planting of cypress hedges further block views out/in particularly to/from the north - these were damaged in the 2001/2 summer bushfires. Said to be a winery. There is some documentary evidence of vineyards at Fernhill notes a "well kept vineyard". • December 2012Simon and Brenda Tripp are tipped to have bought (have an option to buy) Fernhill for $45m. == Heritage listing ==

The Fernhill estate comprises an extensive area of modified and natural landscape which provides the setting for a house completed c.1845 for Edward Cox. The fact that the house was not completed (it is single storey, and was apparently to be two storied) makes it physical evidence of the depression of the 1840s. Perhaps most significant is its siting. In the truly picturesque sense, it is sited like a Greek temple, on an acropolis of a site, to command the country for miles around. It is also significant as the home of a prominent settler, Edward Cox. Fernhill (Sydney) was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales. Fernhill was probably one of the last buildings completed in the Colonial period of New South Wales architecture. It was the home of Edward Cox, son of William Cox, and as such is intimately linked with much of the early rural development of the colony. The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales. Fernhill property retains most of its rural landscape character, including a visual relationship with the Cox family's earlier house Mulgoa Cottage and church, St Thomas' Church of England. ==Residents and owners==

The various residents and owners of Fernhill have been: • William Cox, 18301837 • Edward Cox, 18371868 • Edward King Cox, 18681883 • Standish Cox, 18831896 • Francis Augustus Wright, 1896???? • Warren Anderson, 19802012 • Simon and Brenda Tripp, 2012 • Government of New South Wales, 2018 In 2017 there were plans by the Rookwood Cemetery Trust to acquire grounds surrounding the homestead for the purposes of creating a new cemetery in western Sydney. Amidst significant community opposition, the NSW Government declined planning approval for a cemetery on Fernhill. In early 2018 the estate was bought by the NSW Office of Strategic Lands of the NSW government. ==Popular culture==

The finale of season three of The Bachelor was filmed at Fernhill. ==See also==