As we approach the 220th anniversary of the Castle Hill convict uprising of 1804, it is essential to remember the importance of this event in Australian history.
This rebellion was not merely a clash between convicts and redcoats but a crucial moment that shaped our local and national story.
To commemorate this significant event, an immersive battle re-enactment is scheduled at Heritage Park in Castle Hill on Saturday 2 March.
This free event, spearheaded by The Hills District Historical Society in collaboration with the Heritage Park Advisory Committee and supported by The Hills Shire Council, aims to bring history to life.
It will vividly depict the daring escape of Irish convicts from the Castle Hill Government Farm, once a prison for convicts from England and Ireland.
Ahead of the event, FOCUS caught up with Pam Wilson, a historian from the local area. During the interview, Pam revealed six facts about the uprising that are not widely known.
Here they are:
1. The unprecedented Martial Law declaration
The uprising marked the colony’s first and only declaration of Martial Law.
2. Reshaping care
Following the Government Farm’s demise in 1811, it became the first dedicated asylum in NSW. As a result of the rebellion, this shift emphasised a more humane approach to the care of those in need.
3. Economic prosperity
The Farm played a crucial role in economic growth. In addition to cultivating crops as a flood buffer at the Farm, the colony’s stock numbers were able to be tripled in a mere decade, inadvertently laying the foundation for future prosperity.
4. Codeword
Vinegar Hill’s influence stretched beyond its immediate time and place. The code used in the rebellion resurfaced during the Eureka Stockade in Ballarat in 1854.
5. Preserving Vinegar Hill’s Name
Both the Historical Society and the Castle Hill Heritage Park Committee played pivotal roles in preserving the name ‘Vinegar Hill’. This dedication extended to renaming one of the Council’s libraries as the ‘Vinegar Hill Memorial Library at Rouse Hill Town Centre’.
The suburb of Rouse Hill, which was once called Vinegar Hill, underwent a significant transformation when the Rouse family was granted land in the area. Due to the association of the name with the 1804 uprising, there were efforts to change the name. Governor Macquarie suggested Richard Rouse rename the property, and it was then called ‘Rouse Hill’.
6. Historical ties
Lastly, the former president of the Hills District Historical Society, Ian Nowland, traced his lineage back to Michael Nowland. Michael was appointed superintendent of convicts at Castle Hill Public Agricultural Settlement in September 1802.
Learn more about Saturday’s reenactment here: https://www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/Upcoming-Events-Activities/220th-Anniversary-of-the-1804-Rebellion.