Pitt Town, New South Wales

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Pitt Town is an historic town and suburb about 65 km north west of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the five 'Macquarie Towns' established by Governor Macquarie in 1810. It is named after William Pitt the Elder, the 18th Century British Prime Minister.

A site for a village was laid out in 1811 but developed very slowly. By 1841 there were only 36 houses in the town due to its location being too far from the rich river flats and the consequent long daily trek for farmers to their holdings.

[edit] Historic buildings and sites

There are still many old buildings in excellent condition standing in the back streets as they did over 100 years ago.

Pitt Town Bottoms. This was the location of the first settlements in the district. It was here, in 1794, that Lieutenant-Governor Francis Grose granted fifteen 30 acre (12 hectare) farms to free settlers. From here fresh produce for the infant Sydney town was shipped down the Hawkesbury River.

The former Maid of Australia Inn, a typical street corner inn located at 87 Bathurst Street which operated between the 1850s and 1890s.

At 104 Bathurst Street are the remnants of the Blighton Arms. The original owner, Henry Fleming, lost his license in 1819 but re-opened in 1830, renaming it the Macquarie Arms.

Next door is Mulgrave Place, the house was built in 1823, the verandah (about 1860) and north wing (1913).

St James' Anglican Church on Bathurst St is in a typical Early English stone church style and was designed by Edmund Blacket. It was built by Thomas Collison for £1050 in 1857-58. Blacket also designed the 24 pews, pulpit, reading desk and communion rail.

Scots Presbyterian Church, a much simpler building than St James, was built and dedicated in 1862.

Also at 120, 126 and 132 Bathurst Street there are some late nineteenth century weatherboard houses. Also at 132 Bathurst Street there are some very old slab cottages and outbuildings.

Bona Vista is a very impressive building in Johnston Street, built in 1888. It has a long entrance drive with Norfolk Island pines and camphor.

The Old Manse. At the bottom of Bathurst Street overlooking the Pitt Town Bottoms is The Old Manse, which in fact belonged to the oldest Presbyterian Church in Australia situated down the river at Ebenezer. This illustrates that the early communities were not divided by the Hawkesbury River but united by it.