Billy's Bridge #2 Castle Hill, New South Wales, Australia
By Purplepeopleater on 01-Dec-12. Waypoint GA5134

The return of Billy's Playground

 The previos cache here was one of my first finds and was quite tough.  I returned here to set up a course for my scout group and couldn't help but feel a bit sorry that it had gone, as it is a great park and lovely little bridge with easdy access.

Castle Hill Heritage Park, is a nationally significant site being one of the earliest and potentially least known Government Farms dating back to 1801. The farm was the staging point for the first-ever convict rebellion on Australian soil in 1804.

Heritage Park is the site of the old prison where convicts broke free on March 4, 1804, intending to raise a convict army of 200 to march to Parramatta and freedom. It ended with the death of the leaders at the hands of British redcoat soldiers at the battle of Vinegar Hill where Castlebrook Memorial Park is now.

A stroll around the park will bring to life the story of the convicts and their fateful quest for freedom as well as the early settlers of the district. The main walking track has educational signs that follow a timeline history of the land from the use by the Dharug people, through establishment of the convict farm, church glebe, lunatic asylum, orchards and small farm holdings.

The park is also home to the critically endangered ecological community Blue Gum High Forest and is one of the largest remaining stands of Blue Gum High Forest reserved in the world.

The renewed park was officially opened by Her Excellency Prof Marie Bashir, Governor of New South Wales, in March 2004 and features excellent interpretative signage on the colourful history of this park.

I hope you enjoy the park (and the other caches within)

Hints