“Death of Vault Hill” sounds dramatic doesn’t it? But this isn’t a murder mystery. It’s the story of a family vault and cemetery. Vault Hill rises above Picton. It holds secrets of the Antill family.
This land was once part of a 2000-acre grant. Governor Lachlan Macquarie gifted it to Major Henry Colden Antill. Antill had been his right-hand man. The land became known as Jarvisfield. Major Antill later subdivided it creating much of Picton.
The Antill family vault and cemetery sit atop Vault Hill. Repeated vandalism over the years has left them in ruins. Robert Henry Antill mentioned Vault Hill in his 1937 will. He included a list of people buried there. Sadly the list is lost. Most headstones are gone. We can’t know all the names of those buried on Vault Hill.
Lynnette Styles, a former Wollondilly Shire councillor, wrote a book. It’s called “Death of Vault Hill”. She identified about 30 people buried here. She tells their stories. Grains of information suggest others were also buried here. Employees of Jarvisfield and children from Brookside may be here too. There is no traceable evidence to confirm their names.
Styles’ book is a valuable record of Picton’s history. The Antills were an important colonial family. Major Antill was born in New York. He arrived in Port Jackson in 1809. Styles weaves together the stories of the Antills. She creates an excellent historical record of Picton, the Macarthur district, and Sydney.
Professor Jenny Hocking wrote the foreword to the book. She argues for the urgent restoration and preservation of Vault Hill. It is a critical part of our history. She hopes her words will be heard.
The Vault Hill site exemplifies forward-thinking design. It blends mixed-use self-storage with strata storage lots. There are diverse unit sizes. The site includes showrooms and ground-floor warehouses. There are also upscale conference facilities. Larger units boast mezzanine office spaces and outdoor terraces. It caters to many consumers and needs. The Vault offers prime locations near transport and businesses. It provides storage and warehouse/business units.
Vault Hill in Picton is more than just a cemetery. It’s a reminder of the past. It’s a connection to the families who shaped this region. It is a place where history whispers. It’s a place where stories deserve to be told and remembered.