'Mystery being unfurled': Remarkable histories of 225yo Sydney home revealed

When the Tedesco family bought a sprawling property in Sydney's Hills District three years ago, they had no idea it held over two centuries of history. Nicolas Tedesco's elderly parents purchased the heritage-listed Baulkham Hills home, hoping to pass it down through generations. They sought a smaller "family farm" to replace their large property near the Blue Mountains, which had become too difficult to maintain.

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At first it was barely liveable, and we knew it would cost a fair bit to restore. But dad was thrilled it wouldn't be knocked down. It was a place where they could continue to plant and grow fruit and vegetables for themselves … All we had to do was fix it all up.

The Baulkham Hills homestead boasts charming features like three separate living quarters, original floorboards, a central staircase, and a 1930s AGA cooktop. Two barns on the property, complete with original fireplaces, date back to around 1938. "At first it was barely liveable, and we knew it would cost a fair bit to restore. But dad was thrilled it wouldn't be knocked down," Nicolas said. "It was a place where they could continue to plant and grow fruit and vegetables for themselves … All we had to do was fix it all up."

Nicolas's son, Joel, now lives at the property with his grandparents. He began researching the home's history after finding an old, rotting sign that read "Chelsea Farm" in a shed. "So I searched it online and my jaw kept hitting the floor with each discovery," Joel recounted. From backyard oranges to a blossom festival, Sydney's backyards, particularly in the Hills Shire, were crucial for early fruit tree development in the new colony. George Suttor, a botanist and farmer from Chelsea, London, began clearing land in Baulkham Hills in 1801, building a home and planting orange trees. His oranges were sold commercially by 1807, making him the first to produce fruit for sale.

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So I searched it online and my jaw kept hitting the floor with each discovery.

Haining Lenane, a local history officer for the Hills Shire Council, emphasized the importance of preserving such sites. "Preserving sites like Chelsea Farm would ensure the history of the community is not forgotten, but remembered and valued by future generations," she stated. "The present house is the last visible remnant of the original property and has high historical significance, as Suttor was a pioneer nurseryman of the Hills District." The Tedesco family now continues the legacy, growing fruit and vegetables on the historic property.

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Preserving sites like Chelsea Farm would ensure the history of the community is not forgotten, but remembered and valued by future generations. The present house is the last visible remnant of the original property and has high historical significance, as Suttor was a pioneer nurseryman of the Hills District.