Legend of Penshurst Sites (Refer to Map of Penshurst Area)

1. Lovely Banks The Site of the original home of Joseph and Mary Anner Sharrock. Joseph Sharrock purchased this land and moved his family (wife Mary Anner, and their 7 children) here in 1853. Their youngest child, Francis was born here in 1858. When Joseph’s brothers arrived in Australia in 1858, they too stayed here until they could find more permanent accommodation. Joseph died in 1873, and left this property to his three youngest sons, Thomas, Michael & Francis. The property was sold in 1878. Michael shifted to Young in NSW, Thomas shifted to Bessiebelle, and Francis went north and was not heard of again.
2. Home of Michael Sharrock At the corner of Nth Gums Rd and Hamilton Hwy is one of the only remaining Sharrock structures in the Penshurst area. This was the home of Joseph’s brother, Michael Sharrock, who ventured to Australia and Penshurst in 1858. It is believed that this house was not built by the Sharrocks.
3. Boram Cemetery The Final Resting Place of many of the original Sharrocks.
4. Remains of Daniel & Maria Sharrock's home Daniel arrived in Australia with his father Michael, brother of Joseph, in 1858. He purchased this land 1879.
5. Current home of Brian Sharrock Please join other Sharrock descendants at the Sharrock Shindig on Saturday 8th March, 2008. Travel from Penshurst 6 k.m along the Penshurst Hamilton main road. Turn right at Petschels Lane. Enter the first property on the right.
6. Shire of Mount Rouse Council Chambers The Shire of Mount Rouse commenced in 1864 with Joseph Sharrock being one of the originals councillors. These Chambers were built in 1865 and now house the Penshurst Volcanoes Discovery Centre.
7. Blocks of land owned by J Sharrock The double block facing Burchett St, bounded by Watton Street and Cobb Street was purchased by J. Sharrock in December 1858. One of these blocks currently has a house that looks like it may have been built at the time the block was owned by J. Sharrock, but we have no evidence to justify this.
8. Mount Rouse Noted for a scenic lookout and the site where James Sharrock took his own life in 20 December 1863.
9. Site of James Sharrock’s home Joseph’s brothers joined him in Australia in 1858. One of his older brothers, James, purchased land on the outskirts of Penshurst , and built a home for himself and his family. This property was described in the 1863 rate notices as consisting of <i>1 acre and a small hut</i>. This site was owned by J. Sharrock at the time and is believed to be the block owned by James. The joy and excitement of a new start was short lived as James committed suicide in December 1863.
10. Site of William Whittley’s Blacksmith Shop Joseph’s grand-daughter, Aner Elizabeth Sharrock, married William Whittley in 1878. They had 4 children before their young family was struck down with diphtheria, killing Aner and 3 of her children. William was a blacksmith, and this was the site of his blacksmith shop and residence where this tragedy occurred. It is not known whether the building still standing today, is the buildings that stood here in 1884.
11. Blackfellow’s Creek Heading West from Penshurst along the Macarthur Rd, there is an area called Warrabkook. The start of the Eumeralla River is located East of Warrabkook. A section of the River was known as <i>Blackfellow’s Creek</i>. It was in this area that another of Joseph’s brother’s John, purchased land, but at the time this booklet was finalized, the exact location of this land was not pinpointed.
12. Warrabkook When John died, he left the land at Blackfellow’s Creek to his son, Charles Sharrock, who purchased more land closer to Macarthur at an area called Warrabkook.
13. Warrabkook Samuel Trigger also purchased land in this area. (His son, William, married Charles daughter Sarah.)
14. Kangertong 1 When Joseph died in 1871, he left packages of land to his older sons John, James, Joseph and Benjamin. These pockets of land are described in his will as my other farms in the said Parish of Kangertong . At that time, these farms were being farmed by John, James, Joseph and Ben, and their families. Site 14 - 16 show these blocks of land, but it is not sure which was farmed by which son.
15. Kangertong 2 See information in Site 14
16. Kangertong 3 See information in Site 15
17. Hawkesdale Cemetery Two of James’ children, Catherine & James, died in infancy and are buried at the Hawkesdale Cemetery. This is also the final resting place for Joseph junior (Joseph’s son) and his wife, Elizabeth Anne. (Note: Elizabeth Anne was Michael Sharrock’s daughter)
18. The Coach Inn The house built in Bessiebelle by Joseph’s son, James and Mary Sharrock, and then extensively modernized by Dick & Ethel in the 1920’s was shifted to Tarrington in 2003. It now operates as a B&B. The address is 37 Picnic Road, Tarrington. Join us for morning tea on Saturday 8th March from 10 am to 12 noon.