Greenwood Farm Historic Site 1839

Located at the mouth of the Collie River, Location 23 Greenwood Farm was first settled by George Leake in 1839.

Leake was one of Western Australia’s wealthiest first settlers, a director of the first Bank of Western Australia, a member of the Legislative Council, and chairman of the Perth Town and General Roads trusts.

He visited but never lived in Australind and died in 1849.

In 1844, the Hough family resided at Greenwood, where they grew wheat and potatoes. James, an agricultural labourer, and Elizabeth had arrived on the Parkfield in 1841 with their son Joseph. The Houghs were strong supporters of the church and conducted Australind’s first Congregational.

After a few years at Greenwood, they moved to the Ferguson Valley and also established a butcher shop in Bunbury. However, they retained land in Australind and continued to have a large presence in the area.

For many, many years, the property remained in the care and ownership of the Hough and Hurst (who had arrived in 1842 on Diadem) families, who were connected by marriage.

Later owners, the Gibbs family, operated it as a dairy with an old homestead surrounded by Cape Lilac trees.

The farm was finally developed by the Vukelic family and created as Clifton Park and the Clifton Community Reserve.