Experiment Farm Cottage stands on the site of Australia's first land grant. As an experiment Governor Phillip wanted to know how long it would take a man to support himself. James Ruse an ex-convict was chosen to try his luck and in 1789 he proved to be successful. After two years with a new wife Elizabeth, the first woman convict to be emancipated and a child on the way, he was granted 30 acres on the same site.
Ruse was the first successful farmer in Australia, the first settler in Parramatta and the receiver of the first land grant.
In October 1793 Ruse sold his farm to Surgeon John Harris who built the substantial colonial cottage that we see today. The doctor was a prominent citizen in the colony and close friends with John and Elizabeth Macarthur at Elizabeth Farm, only a hort walk away. The house and its contents reflect the status its owner John Harris and the lifestyle of the time.
