THIS IS WADDELL COTTAGE. It is situated within the grounds 0f Galston High School. It was built in about 1845 by James Waddell, who worked the twenty acre citrus orchard that
surrounded it. His son, James 11, was born there and lived all his long life at this cottage. He never married and died in 1969, aged 91, when the property was acquire by the Dept. of Education. A local Committee raised money to have it restored.
THIS IS HISTORY COTTAGE. It was built by Hornsby Council in about 1945, on crown land,
as a residence for the caretaker of the adjoining showground and the sports ground. The
first caretaker was Alan Blaxland and his wife, Gertrude. They had 3 children, and lived
there from about 1945 t0 1952. Mrs Blaxland ran a Tea Room there and was famous for
her scones. Later other people rented the Cottage as a restaurant, until August 1997 when
the Dural Historical Society leased the building, and were able to renovate it, under the
leadership of June Roughley, our founding President.
At our next meeting on Saturday, April 14 th at 2pm, the guest speaker will be from the
Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. The topic will be the History of North Head, All welcome.
Did you recognise the mystery item photographed in last month’s magazine? It is a metal
wedge used to align steel plates during the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It
was found buried at the northern end of the Bridge, and can now be seen at History
Cottage, which is open on Sundays from 10am to 4 pm. But the cottage will be closed on
Easter Sunday.
