Last updated 23Mar22
Dungarvon
The Dungarvon site is located in the south-eastern corner of the Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve near the Bustard Gate in the Canberra Nature Park.
Location: GR 55H FB 98715-5806 (MGA94), Hall 8727-4S 1:25000
Site of ‘Dungarvon’, October 2009
Visit: 23 Mar 22, 5 Feb 22, 25 Jan 22, 7 Nov 19, 10 Oct 09
Documentation:
• National Trust of Australia brochure A Heritage Tour of Gungahlin: . P2 “Just below the slope leading to the border fence are the remains of an orchard, stone footings and fence posts. These are the remnants of ‘Dugarvon’, a small homestead, owned by Walter Ginn who farmed the area.”
• In A Short History of Gungahlin by Canberra Archaeological Society Inc, by Helen Cooke March 2010, p33:
Dungarvon
Walter Ginn was one of three settlers who selected land near Dungarvon Waterholes in Mulligan’s
Flat in 1858. Walter was the son of William and Mary Ginn; he came to Australia with his parents in
1857. A bachelor with significant other land holdings in Mulligan’s Flat, he built ‘Dungarvon’ a small
homestead on the slope just below the ACT/NSW border fence in about 1886 but had probably
already been living there for some years.
Weather conditions could make or break small farmers but after several years of drought, 1867 was a bumper year for Walter Ginn.
Walter died unmarried in 1925 and although ‘Dungarvon’ was on the 1915 Federal Capital map,
it had apparently been in ruins most of the twentieth century. The ruin is about 1km along the
Old Coach Road, beside a small dam. Only a few bricks and some large field stones remain beside
a rectangular mound of earth, indicating that a chimney once stood at the eastern end of the
structure. Bricks with a cigar shaped frog are said to have been made at a nearby kiln.
An apple tree 6m from the north-east corner of the mound is still alive and next to it a small thicket
of quince trees. These may bear fruit in good years, but you will be lucky if you beat the birds and
kangaroos to the produce.
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