CASTLE HILL ART SOCIETY

9- &57.1 7.(-&7) (-&4 Ѧ<43)*7+:1 5*451* <&9*7(414:7ѧ

Richard Chao is a world-renowned watercolourist living in Sydney, Australia. Taking a contemporary perspective, he depicts his interpretation on the human world in his realistic paintings. His models are people from every corners of the world with diverse and unique customs and cultures, as well as religions, which amaze him. Visitors are welcome to join with the Castle Hill Art Society 7.30pm at Castle Glen Community Centre, 157 Ridgecrop Drive, Castle Hill. *SVZNWNJX a \\\ HFXYQJMNQQFWYXTHNJY^ TWL FZ

I came here in the 1960s as a schoolboy picking summer stone fruit in an orchard at Arcadia, on the bus which travelled through the Gorge making a three-point turn on each hairpin bend. I fell in love with the area and returned as a family man in 1989 and TYVGLEWIH ƼZI ERH E LEPJ EGVIW

The land we have is part of a land grant of 600 acres given to George Hall by Governor Macquarie in 1819, along with seven convicts. Today, that parcel is Fagan Park, right through to *EKER W 6SEH ERH FSYRHIH F] &PEGOW 6SEH &E]ƼIPH 6SEH ERH Arcadia Road. Over time the land was sold to well-known local pioneers, the Fagan's, Trethowens, and the Roughley's to name a few. Our land was part of the 60 acre Roughly orchard, subdivided into 2HA lots around the 1970s.

I miss the blossoms in the orchards as you drive along in July - August each year as there are very few working orchards left. Picking fruit in Wylds Road in the 1960s was very different from today. Wylds Road was only bitumen at the Arcadia Road end, then a dirt road down to Cobah Creek. Just before the creek you could take a track to the left and make your way up to Old Northern Rd almost opposite Bangor Road. That was fun on E 6S]EP )RƼIPH QSXSVFMOI 8LI S[RIV SJ XLI SVGLEVH PIX YW eat as many peaches as you could. After about 5 or 6 peaches that a bulbul or silver eye had taken a peck out of (so you knew it was ripe), you didn't want another peach all day. We would run to the dam for a swim at the lunch bell and wash off the peach ƽYJJ [LMGL MXGLIH E FMX IWTIGMEPP] XLI PEXI WIEWSR JVYMX 8LI JEVQ dog always thought it was his duty to rescue us. He would swim out and grab us by the arm and make for the bank.

There was a service station at Glenorie with tractor and farming equipment sales. Similarly, at Round Corner Dural. There was a large hardware store at Glenorie with farming needs and where the Dural bus depot is today there was Stockman's Rural Supplies. These have all gone as very few local people still farm the land for their living. Most rural acres are lifestyle or hobby farm holdings. When we came here in 1989 there were two separate old crops of Blood Plums planted, 60 trees each, the last orchard on this land. They are now long gone. Today we run a few cows.

There are many descendants of old district pioneering families living in our community. In my opinion, it is the best place in Australia to live in. It is a great caring community, with very friendly, helpful residents, an engaging council and a real sense of belonging. Galston once had a Police station which is no longer needed, a testament to our social and community decency.