Burrows Park

This 2.3-hectare bush reserve on Buffalo Creek was named after E J Burrows a resident in the 1950s.

It is on land granted to John Laurel, a First Fleet convict on the Scarborough, who was sentenced to seven years transportation for theft of a silver spoon. Laurel was further punished for ‘gambling on a Sunday’ and spent two years on Norfolk Island. His 30-acre grant of 1792 became Laurel Farm, although he may never have used it. He died on the Hawkesbury in 1796 and the land was acquired by James Squire.

Although signposted as Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest, this park is on Hawkesbury Sandstone and the most common trees are Sydney Blue Gum (Eucalyptus saligna) and Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) making it an example of regenerated Blue Gum High Forest. There has been extensive tree planting and bush regeneration. It now contains 115 native plant species and 64 exotics. Common birds include brush turkeys, noisy miners and rainbow lorikeets, and older trees contain numerous nesting hollows.

A 5-metre high face in cross-bedded and massive sandstone marks the edge of the quarry that operated into the 1930s and now contains large tree ferns. It appears to have been worked for dimension stone and aggregate, possibly by Council.

Above the creek behind Turner Avenue, three large blue gums mark the site of the Martin Boyd Pottery Workshop (1948-1963), in what was formerly the Golden Harvest Bakery. The business was established by Guy Boyd who left the business in 1951, but the name was retained. Hand crafted-pottery was produced by Norma, Leonard and Ronald Flegg and sold through David Jones and Farmers with peak production in 1958 when they had 177 line items and 80 staff. The building was demolished about 2006.

Location

32 Princes Street, Ryde 2112 View Map

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