Picture an avenue lined with fine old trees. This marks the historic entrance to what was once a grand mansion in Eschol Park. We are standing at the gateway to a suburb with a fascinating past. Eschol Park, a suburb of Sydney, holds a unique story within its borders.
Eschol Park is located 60 kilometers southwest of Sydney’s central business district. It’s part of the Macarthur region. But its history goes back much further than its establishment in 1978.
Originally, this land was home to the Tharawal people. In 1805, John Macarthur received a large land grant nearby. This led to other grants in the area. One of these properties became known as Eagle Vale.
In 1858, William Fowler, a Campbelltown postmaster, bought Eagle Vale. He wanted to start a vineyard here. As a devout Christian, he named the property Eshcol Park after a biblical location. However, the name was often misspelled, even in official documents.
Fowler established a large vineyard and winery. Within a decade, he was producing award-winning wines. In 1876, he sold the land to Samuel Spencer Milgate. Two years later, John Gorus, a Dutch photographer, bought it and continued making wine.
Under Gorus, Eschol Park was put up for auction. The auction pamphlet described a beautiful property. It had a brick and stone house, wine cellars and an ornamental lake. There were flower gardens, orchards, and farm buildings. A manure tank was also mentioned, used to fertilize the vines.
Unfortunately, the phylloxera disease devastated vineyards in the 1890s. Eschol Park suffered greatly.
The area remained rural, with dairy cattle, until the 1970s. Then, plans for housing developments began. In 1975, the Geographical Names Board approved the name Eschol Park, with its incorrect spelling.
Landcom built its Highfield Estate in 1978. The brick gateway can still be seen off Raby Road.
Interestingly, Eschol Park’s streets are named after grape varieties and wine terms. Cabernet Avenue, Chardonnay Avenue, Pinot Street, and many others reflect the area’s winemaking history.
Eschol Park Primary School opened in 1985. The Eschol Park Sports Complex was created in the early 1980s. The sports fields also serve as water detention basins. Eagle Creek Reserve and Vale Brook Reserve are public parks that were once part of the area’s waterways. William Fowler is remembered with William Fowler Reserve.
Today, Eschol Park is a thriving suburb. It has a population of over 2,600 people. While the vineyards are gone, the name and street names remind us of its past. The story of Eschol Park is one of transformation. From indigenous land to vineyard, from rural hills to a modern suburb. It is a place where the past is remembered in the present.