Fern Grove.

Very rare c.19th lithograph printed in sepia of a fern grove, produced by the auctioneers Boyd and King to promote their subdivision, the Gosford Model Farms which was situated between Erina and Wamberal on the Central Coast of New South Wales.

The subdivision was promoted in 1885 by the auctioneers Boyd and King; the scheme offered small farms of three to eight acres together with an associated township. Conceived to encourage closer settlement, the subdivision was a notable success: the auction realised £26,460, a substantial sum for the period.

The history of the land began in 1825 when Willoughby Bean was granted a certificate of occupation for Amboise, a 2,000 acre property.

1883  William Joyce Hobbs purchased the 2,000 acre property from the Donnison sisters who had inherited the land and then sold the property to land agents Boyd & King.
1885  Boyd and King started The Gosford Times newspaper to promote and sell the sub-divided land.
1886  Punt Bridge constructed across Erina Creek.
1888  Subdivision of Erina and planning of Streets

From: Boyd, Fitz A. The Farmer and settler’s guide to the Gosford model farm blocks Five Acres. Sydney : Gibbs, Shallard & co., [1885]

Collections:
State Library New South Wales: MMS ID 991012442189702626