Governor Phillip, it seems, had made several excursions, in order to inform himself more fully about the nature of the soil, and to find out a place more proper for cultivation, than the land about the lower part of the harbour; and, at length, had fixed on a situation at the head of it, about eleven miles from Sydney-Cove.  The soil here was found to be much better than at Sydney-Cove, and a number of convicts were sent there in 1789, with a captain’s guard, in order to prevent any disputes with the natives, and to preserve regularity amongst the convicts.

I accompanied Governor Phillip to this place, which is named Rose-Hill, on the 9th:  we left Sydney-Cove at eight in the morning, and arrived at Rose-Hill before noon.  About two miles below this settlement, the harbour becomes quite narrow, being not more than ten or twelve yards across, and the banks are about six feet high:  here, the country has the appearance of a park.  In rowing up this branch, we saw a flock of about thirty kangaroos or paderong, but they were only visible during their leaps, as the very long grass hid them from our view.  We landed about half a mile from the settlement, and walked up to it.

This settlement is on an elevated ground, which joins to a fine crescent, as regular as if formed by art; it is probable that this crescent, and the regular slopes which surround the settlement, have been formed by very heavy rains.  The soil is loam, sand, and clay:  the trees are not so large here as lower down the harbour, but the large roots lying on the ground render it difficult to clear.  A fine stream of fresh water runs into the head of the harbour, which, in the winter, and when heavy rains fall, sometimes rises seven or eight feet, and becomes a rapid torrent.  A redoubt is constructed here, in which are very good barracks for officers and soldiers:  there is likewise a store-house.

On the opposite side of the brook, there is a farm-house, where a servant of Governor Phillip’s resides, who is charged with the superintendence of the convicts and the cultivation of the ground; to which charge he is very equal, and is of the greatest service to the governor, as he has no other free person whatever to overlook any piece of work carrying on by the convicts.  Near to this farm-house, there is a very good barn and a granary.  The convicts houses form a line at some distance, in front of the barracks, with very good gardens before and behind each house:  indeed, the whole, joined to the pleasantness of the situation, makes it a beautiful landscape.

In 1789, the quantity of ground sown with wheat here, and at Sydney-Cove, was twenty-two acres; with barley, seventeen acres; flax, Indian corn, and beans, three acres.  The quantity of wheat raised was two hundred bushels; of barley, sixty bushels; flax, beans, and other seeds, ten bushels:  the wheat is a fine full grain.  This year (1790) near one hundred acres will be cleared at Rose-Hill, of which forty are to be sown with wheat.