Government House Parramatta, 1788-2000
Sue Rosen's theory that the dairy cottage in Parramatta park was formerly a malt kiln constructed under Governor King's administration in 1803-04 and then converted to a house for the Overseer of Government Gardens in 1813 has recently been substantiated.
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The research for the book provided Rosen with the opportunity for a detailed examination of the records of the public works department at Parramatta and provided insights into the management of the colony, of convict labour and the administration of the earlt economy. the allocation of materials and mechanics (skilled workers) to building projects, particularly Macquarie's administration revealed a sophisticated works system based on a rational resource allocation.
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The book contains new images, new theories and insights, not only into the life of the governors at the house, but it reveals a sophisticated system of public infrastructure development and management that may surprise many with an interest in the governance of early new South Wales. The overall result is a fresh interpretation of many crucial phases of the history of the House and Park. And all of it is poinned, as never before, on painstaking and detailed research. [Nicole Secomb, President, Professional Historians Association NSW in 'Parramatta Park - its Malt Kiln, Dairy and Governor's Residence', History Magazine of the Royal Australian Historical Society, September, 2003.]