George Peat Mooney Mooney, New South Wales, Australia
By GIN51E on 21-Nov-06. Waypoint GA0641

Who Is George Peat?

The History begins with, Charles Peat 'Georges Father'

He was tried at Old Bailey, London on 5th December 1781 for assault and highway robbery with a value of 23 shillings. He was sentenced to transport for life having been originally sentenced to death and left England on the Scarborough. Aged about 28yrs

"The Scarborough carried 208 male convicts in the first fleet, Apart from the 'Sirus' and 'Supply' she was the only other ship to return in the Second Fleet"

On 22nd February 1788 Charles Peat married Johanna/Hannah/Hanna Mullens 'Georges Mother'

She was tried at Old Bailey, London on the 26th April 1786 for forgery. She was sentenced to transportation for life having been originally sentenced to death, and left England on the 1st Lady Penrhyn. Aged about 27yrs

"The Lady Penrhyn embarked 102 Female convicts in the first fleet"

Charles Peat was apart of the "Night Watch" whilst in Australia and had 5 children with Hannah "Mullens".

Charles Peat left NSW in 1800 and was found Guilty of Return from Transport following the Mercury mutiny. He died in 1813. Hannah Peat "Mullens" left NSW in 1812.

Now with that out of the way we can start talking about George Peat.

In 1836 George Peat was granted 50 acres at Peat's Bight, constructed some huts and a wharf and began farming. Later a dairy farm was established on Peat's Crater.

1840 a road was constructed to the property using convict labour. "Sections of the road with its stone fencing are still visible in sections of the Muogamarra Nature Reserve"

As you walk into this cache you should go past a grave site where Georges Daughter Frances Peat lies, she passed away at age 10yrs and 9months on 28th March 1842.

George Peat knew the path travelled by the Guringai Aborigines and used it to mark a line of road from Sydney to Brisbane Water. In the early 1840's Peat established a ferry crossing at Mooney Mooney Point.

Peat's Ferry Crossings ceased in 1889 when the railway bridge was opened across the Hawkesbury River. Peat's Ferry Road north of the river was no longer maintained.

As motoring increased, traffic to Gosford crossed the Hawkesbury at Wisemans Ferry, continued up the Great North Road and down Mangrove Road to descend from Somersby to Gosford. Wisemans Ferry Road beside the river through Spencer was not opened until 1934. This long route to cross the Hawkesbury River was as unsatisfactory as it had been 100 years before. So the main roads board decided to reopen a public crossing at Peat's ferry.

Peat's Ferry Road from Hornsby to Gosford was reconstructed as the Great Northern Highway. By 1930 a pair of motor vessel ferries, Frances Peat and George Peat, operated on the highway between Kangaroo Point and Mooney Mooney Point. The road from Sydney through Hornsby to the Hawkesbury became the Pacific Highway.

On 5th May 1945 the Peat's Ferry Bridge was opened after being built by Australian workers using all Australian materials. It had the longest spans in the world using welded components and the main caisson pier was the second deepest in the world.

The Road you will drive in on which also continues down to the boat ramp "The Ferry's Northern Landing" is called Peat's Ferry Road.

Also behind you is Peat's Island and further along is Peat's Ridge, I was unable to determine the exact significance of these locations.

If you're interested in seeing more history related to The Great North Road it is worth visiting

Hidden History 2 - Abutment
Hidden History 6 - Blood, Sweat and Pride
#19 Haunted Highway

Also Don't Forget there is a cache also located on Peat's Ferry Bridge 1 of 3

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of history and once at GZ just sit back and enjoy the view and picture how it looked 160 years ago.

To log this as a find you must take a picture of yourself at GZ with Peat's Ferry Bridge in the background!!!

This cache is based on the Archived Who is George Peat?

Google Earth link to Peats Crater