Mill Pond Farm, located in Jembaicumbene, NSW, dates back to the early 1830s. Originally known as Old Dairy Flat Station, it was one of the region’s earliest dairy farms before transitioning to wheat cropping in the mid-1850s. The property later became part of Exeter Farm, playing a key role in the area’s agricultural development.
In 1859, Charles Dransfield, a Yorkshire wool miller turned gold prospector, established the Jembaicumbene Steam Flour Mill on the site. Designed by Sydney architect Charles Langley, the four-storey mill was powered by a 24-horsepower steam engine and used for grinding wheat, sawing timber, and crushing quartz for gold extraction. It also supported brewing, hop drying, and pigeon breeding operations. The mill thrived as Jembaicumbene grew into a bustling gold rush town.
By 1885, economic pressures, railway expansion, and repeated wheat rust outbreaks forced the mill to close. The site remained largely abandoned for nearly a century, with the original structures slowly deteriorating. Restoration efforts in the early 21st century have since helped preserve key elements of the property, including the Gothic Revival dairy, barns, stables, and the mill itself.
Mill Pond Farm offers a glimpse into Australia’s rural past, from its dairy origins to its industrial rise and eventual decline. Its layered history reflects the cycles of agricultural and economic change that shaped New South Wales.
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