Wilberforce, New South Wales

Wilberforce is one of the original settlements established as a township by Lachlan Macquarie, colonial governor of New South Wales 1810–21. It is known locally as "Macquarie Town",[http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/macquarie/governor/towns.html The Macquarie towns {{pipe}} State Library of New South Wales] a title given to townships established by Governor Macquarie on 6 December 1810[http://www.hawkesburyhistory.org.au/articles/macquarie_town.html Policies to Consider before Buying a Car] in and around the Sydney metropolitan area.

It was named after William Wilberforce (1759–1833), who was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade.

Wilberforce has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Clergy Road: Wilberforce Cemetery{{cite NSW SHR|5055789|Wilberforce Cemetery|hr=01837|fn= EF10/06033; 09/216; H04/91/10|access-date=18 May 2018}}
• 47 George Road: Wilberforce Park{{cite NSW SHR|5053905|Wilberforce Park|hr=01868|fn=10/19912; HC Plan 2470|access-date=18 May 2018}}
• 43–43a Macquarie Road: St John's Anglican Church and Macquarie Schoolhouse{{cite NSW SHR|5061124|Macquarie Schoolhouse/Chapel and St. John's (Blacket) Church|hr=01836|fn=10/06033|access-date=18 May 2018}}
• Rose Street: Australiana Pioneer Village{{cite NSW SHR|5053388|Australiana Pioneer Village|hr=01683|fn=H03/00173|access-date=18 May 2018}}
• Rose Street: Rose Cottage{{cite NSW SHR|5045160|Rose Cottage|hr=00358|fn=EF14/4721; S90/7513 & HC30460|access-date=18 May 2018}}
• Stannix Park Road: Stannix Park House{{cite NSW SHR|5045206|Stannix Park House, cattle tanks and site|hr=00598|fn=S91/01511|access-date=18 May 2018}}

{{main|St John's Anglican Church and Macquarie Schoolhouse}}

The historic St John's Anglican Church was designed by Edmund Thomas Blacket{{cite web |url=http://www.wilberforce.anglican.asn.au/html/st_johns.html |title= St Johns - St Johns Wilberforce|website=wilberforce.anglican.asn.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615005522/http://www.wilberforce.anglican.asn.au/html/st_johns.html |archive-date=15 June 2010}} and built by J. Atkinson of Windsor. Construction was started in 1856 and the building was not completed until 1859 at a cost of £1500. The grounds of the church and contains the Old School House building (Built 1819), which was used as a school, a church, and a residence of the school master until the church was completed. The school house was replaced in 1880 by a Public School.{{cite book

|last=Baker

|first=Helen

|title=Historic Buildings. Windsor and Richmond

|year=1967

|edition=1st

|publisher=The State Planning Authority of New South Wales

}}

The original church building is still used for the church's 8 am service with the modern education centre used for later services.

Relocated to a position in front of the schoolhouse, the grave marks the death of a child bitten by a snake on a nearby property. Grave moved on 5 December 1960 by the Hawkesbury Historical Society.[http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/cemetery/st_johns_churchyard/index.html Wilberforce, St Johns Churchyard (Howorth Grave)]

File:Map of the Parish of Gidley, 1822 (3901869835).jpg

Wilberforce Park (1810)

{{main|Wilberforce Park}}

This is the original town square proclaimed by Macquarie, and still retains its original relationship with the schoolhouse, cemetery and townships. In the park itself is the War Memorial, erected by local residents in 1918.[http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/memorial/wilberforce_memorial/index.html Wilberforce, Wilberforce Park War Memorial] In 1966, it was relocated within the park, and new plaques were added at this time.{{cite web|url=http://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/6302/WilberforceParkCMP.pdf |access-date=2023-10-16| title=WILBERFORCE PARK CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN}}[http://www.hawkesburytourism.com.au/hawkesbury-heritage-other.html Hawkesbury Tourism – Other Hawkesbury Heritage Tours]

====Australiana Pioneer Village====

{{main|Australiana Pioneer Village}}

Opened around 1970, the village contains a number of buildings from the surrounding area which were physically transported to the site. Among them is 'Rose Cottage'; the oldest timber slab cottage in Australia standing on its original site.[http://www.rosefamilysociety.org.au/cottage.asp Rose Family Cottage][http://www.theaustralianapioneervillage.com.au/history_4.html The Australiana Pioneer Village History]

====Wilberforce Cemetery (1815 onwards)====

{{main|Wilberforce Cemetery}}

This cemetery sits on Old Sackville Road, near the intersection with Singleton Road (Putty Road). There are a number of graves of the area's pioneers; notably the somewhat unusual Table Slab Grave.[http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/cemetery/wilberforce/index.html Wilberforce, Wilberforce Cemetery]

Wilberforce is the birthplace of bushranger Captain Thunderbolt.

{{reflist}}

• Discover the Hawkesbury. "Wilberforce". https://www.discoverthehawkesbury.com.au/hawkesbury-towns/wilberforce
• Hawkesbury People & Places. "Wilberforce Cemetery". https://www.hawkesbury.org/name/wilberforce-cemetery.html
• McHardy, Cathy & Nicholas McHardy. Sacred to the Memory - A Study of Wilberforce Cemetery. 2003.

{{Hawkesbury suburbs}}

Category:Suburbs of Sydney

Category:City of Hawkesbury

Category:1810 establishments in Australia

Category:Hawkesbury River