The Fountain Garden

We're very fortunate to have a small but dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Linnwood, who weed, trim and replant former gardens. We are also very grateful that Holroyd Council mows the grass, as a 12 acre estate is a little too much for push mowers! The fountain at Linnwood will never be commissioned again unless a very large sum can be found to replace ageing pipes which run under the gardens. We obtained permission from the Heritage Office to plant out a garden in the fountain, which as you can see is quite lovely when in bloom. Plants include lavender, irises and daisies, keeping with the late Victorian theme. The fountain was first lined with about 50 old car tyres, then a generous layer of donated mulch was shovelled in and allowed to decompose for a while. A couple of large loads of soil were also added to the top, another period of time passed and then the planting out began. Bridal parties have sat on the wide wall of the fountain for some lovely photographs and visitors frequently admire the plantings. When it rains, water accumulates in the bowl of the fountain, making a bird bath which is appreciated by the Linnwood rainbow lorikeets and kookaburras alike.

September Open House

Our second Scottish themed day was a great success, with representatives from Scottish House and the Clan Societies attending. The Justine Banks School of Scottish dancing performed, although due to the rain their first performance was held in the wide Linnwood hall ! By the second performance the weather had cleared a little, and the pipers from the Parramatta Caledonian Pipe Band were also able to perform outside. The audience was enthralled, and we're sure the "ghost" of Mr McCredie would have approved of the sound of bagpipes filling the air around his former home.

Wentworth Quilters Exhibition September 2007

Linnwood was hired for a major exhibition over a weekend, with set-up on the Friday when the team of willing helpers arrived with all the quilt hangers hired from the Quilters Guild and began assembling. The quilts and accessories began arriving around lunchtime and by evening, all was assembled and "styled" and ready for the public opening on the Saturday. We believe that by Saturday evening the show had been visited by as many people as previously came over the whole weekend at the old venue, so the organisers were thrilled with the 2 day event. Now the Wentworth Quilters has decided that they will use Linnwood as their meeting place in 2008, so Linnwood will now host the NSW Lace Guild, 3 groups from the Embroiderers' Guild NSW and the Wentworth Quilters on a regular basis. It seems fitting that a former Domestic Science Training School for Girls is a venue for the needle arts again.

Beautiful displays at the Wenty Quilters' Exhibition

The "stylists" certainly did a magnificent job at the Exhibition, with some stunning displays mounted using the Linnwood as the backdrop and using some of the furniture and fittings as "props". The "old girl" has never looked so charming as she did that day. It was really lovely to see how "she" can look with a little bit of planning.

Front view of Linnwood

This front view shows 2 original pine trees planted when the house was first built by George McCredie in 1891 for his wife Susan and their 9 children. You can just imagine how busy the house would have been, with cottages for the coachman and gardener, and rooms within the house for household staff. The house was described in the Cumberland Mercury newspaper in 1892 as "one of the most perfectly finished domestic establishments in the Southern Hemisphere - a home that is just a dream of every convenience and comfort." Linnwood saw many visitors in its early days, including a cricket match with a visiting touring team and the first Presbyterian church services in the district. As Mayor of Prospect and Sherwood, Mr McCredie entertained fellow councillors and businessmen in his home on many occassions and was well respected. On his death in 1903, his funeral procession travelled from Linnwood to Rookwood cemetery, a distance of almost 12 kilometres accompanied by a large group of walking mourners and carriages. Local school children and teachers formed a guard of honour outside their school as the procession passed.

Vistas of Linnwood

Linnwood is very photogenic for her age, 116 years old last April. She is a unique old lady, still sitting on nearly 12 acres of park-like grounds. We often see local citizens sitting on the front lawns enjoying the vista of the house and listening to the birdsong. Unfortunately just lately we have had a small increase in vandalism, with attempted break ins and damage around the property, but our Neighbourhood Watch is very vigilant. Security patrols and alarms protect the estate as well. We are very grateful that the local people are so protective of this wonderful community asset.

Interesting displays for the menfolk

Bi-monthly Open House days usually feature various arts and crafts for sale. We always try to include a display or exhibition of some different type as well. These vary considerably, but we do try to entertain the menfolk too. These 2 displays drew many favourable comments from visitors recently. The vintage Victa mowers and the display of watches and clocks were both mounted by collectors for one day only. So when you see a display advertised that appeals to you, visit Linnwood promptly as the display lasts for one day and then is dismantled and returns whence it came !