The Old Great North Road was constructed using convict labour, working in isolated and harsh conditions. This immense undertaking took place between 1826 and 1836, linking Sydney with the Hunter Valley.
Convict road gangs built the 250-kilometre long road at a time when the colony was transitioning from a penal colony to a free-market colonial settlement.
Undertaken by Governor Darling, the Great Northern Road was important infrastructure providing transportation and communication connections throughout the colony.
The surveying, engineering, quarrying and masonry of the buttressed retaining walls and drainage system on the Devine Hill segment are particularly notable as an impressive and challenging part of the the 250km long Great North Road.
The cultural significance of the road was recognised when it was included on the Australian National Heritage List on 1 August 2007 as a nationally significant example of major public infrastructure developed using convict labour and on the UNESCO World Heritage list as amongst:
" .. the best surviving examples of large-scale convict transportation and the colonial expansion of European powers through the presence and labour of convicts."
Due to the rugged terrain and isolation, much of the road fell into total disuse. However, some parts were absorbed into newer road systems.
In 1990, the "Convict Trail Project" formed to restore, maintain and promote the road as a monument to convict engineering.
Old Great North Road – World Heritage walk
Wisemans Ferry Forgotten Valley
Hawkesbury Regional Museum
Undertaken by Governor Darling, the Great Northern Road was important infrastructure providing transportation and communication connections throughout the colony.
The Great North Road begins at Parramatta Road, Sydney (Five Dock), and proceeds in a mostly northward direction for about 250 kilometres to Jerry’s Plains in the Hunter Valley. Northward from Dural the road runs through farmland to the Hawkesbury River at Wiseman’s Ferry.
On the northern side of the Hawkesbury River, the terrain rises steeply to a heavily dissected sandstone plateau cut by rivers, creeks and ravines. The road rises from the Hawkesbury via the Devine’s Hill ascent to the plateau and then follows the narrow ridge-top of the Judge Dowling Range before descending at its northern end to the rich lands of the Hunter River Valley.
The road travels through rugged and isolated bush edging on the Dharug National Park, through Bucketty to Wollombi. From there, a fork in the road continues to Warkworth via Broke, in one direction and in the other, to Cessnock, Maitland and Newcastle.
It is also possible to observe the surviving 25 Road Party Inscription, the powder magazine, a cave at Devine's Hill used during the period, convict graffiti, including a carving of a man with a hat and pipe and the remains of a stockade where the convicts were housed.
"The first portion of this road is now known
as the Five Dock and Abbotsford Road.
After crosslug the Parramatta River at
Abbotsford it eventually joined the first
road sat the 25th mile post thus-efecting
a saving in mileage."
as the Five Dock and Abbotsford Road.
After crosslug the Parramatta River at
Abbotsford it eventually joined the first
road sat the 25th mile post thus-efecting
a saving in mileage."
"....the old punt at Abbotsford, which in the days gone by
brought all the traffic across the river
for the northern districts,.."
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Thursday 2 July 1914brought all the traffic across the river
for the northern districts,.."
Solomon Wiseman on arrival in Australia:
"At one time, three convicts escaped from the stock-
ade and swam across the river with their leg-irons on. On
reaching the southern bank they scaled the stone wall
round the homestead and stole some pumpkins. On
returning two were drowned, and the survivor on reach-
ing the stockade was discovered by one of the guards.
The following day he was given fifty lashes with the
"cat-o'-nine-tails" by the "scourger," at the instance of
the discoverer. The flogged man made a promise to his
fellow-convicts that he would kill him when he got the
chance, which he did shortly afterwards by driving a
pick through the overseer's skull in an unguarded
moment. The prisoner was afterwards hanged on
"Judgement Rock," a high towering rock on the nor-
thern side of the river above the oldstockade ruins,
where punishment was meted out to the convicts who
offended."
"presented recommendations to
Governor Bligh and was given a grant of 200
acres of land on the banks of the Hawkesbury
opposite the first branch of the river, and adjoining
Singleton's Mill grant, the place famous in the history
of this country, and known as Wiseman's Ferry. Three
hundred assigned Government men were allotted to him
as superintendent of road construction, in order to make
the portion of the North Road (two miles of the road
being cut out of the solid rock immediately on the north
side of the river) over the range of hills on to Wollombi,
thence to Maitland. On the hill to the right on the
north bank are the ruins of the old convict stockade,
with one or two other official buildings, long since fallen
into disuse; but time was when they had their uses,
and to pretty lively purpose. In the days when the
settlement was in going order a number of soldiers
were quartered there, their duty being to see, in the
last resort, to the general good behaviour of the gangs
of convicts employed in road construction and in work-
ing on Solomon Wiseman's farming estate."
Governor Bligh and was given a grant of 200
acres of land on the banks of the Hawkesbury
opposite the first branch of the river, and adjoining
Singleton's Mill grant, the place famous in the history
of this country, and known as Wiseman's Ferry. Three
hundred assigned Government men were allotted to him
as superintendent of road construction, in order to make
the portion of the North Road (two miles of the road
being cut out of the solid rock immediately on the north
side of the river) over the range of hills on to Wollombi,
thence to Maitland. On the hill to the right on the
north bank are the ruins of the old convict stockade,
with one or two other official buildings, long since fallen
into disuse; but time was when they had their uses,
and to pretty lively purpose. In the days when the
settlement was in going order a number of soldiers
were quartered there, their duty being to see, in the
last resort, to the general good behaviour of the gangs
of convicts employed in road construction and in work-
ing on Solomon Wiseman's farming estate."
ade and swam across the river with their leg-irons on. On
reaching the southern bank they scaled the stone wall
round the homestead and stole some pumpkins. On
returning two were drowned, and the survivor on reach-
ing the stockade was discovered by one of the guards.
The following day he was given fifty lashes with the
"cat-o'-nine-tails" by the "scourger," at the instance of
the discoverer. The flogged man made a promise to his
fellow-convicts that he would kill him when he got the
chance, which he did shortly afterwards by driving a
pick through the overseer's skull in an unguarded
moment. The prisoner was afterwards hanged on
"Judgement Rock," a high towering rock on the nor-
thern side of the river above the oldstockade ruins,
where punishment was meted out to the convicts who
offended."
Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938), Wednesday 3 September 1924
 |
| Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 6 August 1904 |
 |
| Australasian Chronicle (Sydney, NSW : 1839 - 1843), Friday 21 February 1840 |
" .. the best surviving examples of large-scale convict transportation and the colonial expansion of European powers through the presence and labour of convicts."
 |
| Old Great North Road, Wisemans Ferry in background 1890, NSW |
 |
| Great North Road above Wisemans Ferry c.1900, NSW |
 |
| Great North Road, Wisemans Ferry about 1920, NSW |
On The Convict Trail
 |
| Wisemans Ferry Inn, Wisemans Ferry. NSW. Established in 1827 |
 |
| At St Albans near Wisemans Ferry on Hawkesbury, NSW |
 |
| Found on the Great North Road now on display at the Hawkesbury Regional Museum, NSW |
 |
| Remains of convict stockade above Wisemans Ferry, NSW |
 |
| Sandstone retaining walls built by convicts on Old Great North Road, Wisemans Ferry, NSW |
 |
| Convict graffiti from 1830. Near the Convict Stockade site on The Great North Road, North of Wisemans Ferry, NSW |
 |
| Convict-built road, Mount McQuoid, Great North Road, Bucketty, NSW |
 |
| The Great North Road Devine's Hill section. NSW |
 |
| One of the many Culverts along the old Great North Road, NSW |
 |
| Convict-built Embankment, Mount McQuoid, Great North Road, Bucketty, NSW |
 |
| The grave of Solomon Wiseman. He is best remembered for the lease he obtained in 1827 for what became known as Wiseman’s Ferry on the Hawkesbury River. He arrived as a convict on the Alexander in August 1806. He died on 28 November 1838 and was buried on his property. He was later reinterred first in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene at Wisemans Ferry, and after that church was destroyed, was buried in the cemetery at Wisemans Ferry |