The Dairy Cottage in Parramatta is one of Sydney’s earliest buildings. It was built around 1796 on land granted to George Salter, a convict, when his sentence expired. In 1813, Governor Macquarie purchased Salter’s grant and added it to his domain; he extended the cottage and used it to accommodate his dairy workers. Later the Governor’s Domain became the people’s park of Parramatta. The cottage was then made into a residence for Rangers and their families and an additional cottage was built covering the sunken milk room of the old Governor’s Dairy. The sunken milk room was later discovered intact by archaeologists in 1993 after tonnes of ash and soil were removed.

On Sunday, 13th September, bring the family and visit the Governor’s Dairy in Parramatta Park for a family fun day! Learn more about our colonial history and have fun “experiencing” colonial life. Hear about George Salter, a smuggler convicted for murder and transported for 7 years. Explore the old Governors’ Dairy building and see the sunken milk room, brick nogging, and a 1930’s South Pacific-inspired wall mural. Help out with chores like butter churning, play games like tug-o-war, check out the sheep shearing & whip cracking, pat the farm animals and dance to a bush band. Pretend to be a convict and earn your freedom with a ticket–of-leave but only if you can guess your way through the treasure hunt!

The “Down at the Diary” family fun event will be held at the Dairy Cottage, West Domain Parramatta Park. Here’s a map of Parramatta Park to help you get around there: http://www.ppt.nsw.gov.au/hours-and-info/park-map

Entry to this event is free and it will go from 11am until 3pm. If you want more info, call this number: 02 8833 5000. Parramatta is a suburb in western Sydney and is located approximately 23 km west of the Sydney CBD.