The History of Camden, NSW
In 1795 Camden was named “Cowpastures” after cattle had wandered into the area from the nearby colony at Farm Cove.
The first white woman to cross the Nepean River was Mrs King, wife of Governor King. They visited the area and the Governor arranged for the cattle herd to be preserved. This was in 1805 and it was this year that saw the first house in the district built.
The local constables Warby and Jackson lived in the house from where they managed the cattle herd. The road from Prospect to this area was called Cowpasture Road, a name it is still known by today.
It was in 1803 when the Colonial Secretary Lord Camden ordered Governor King to grant John Macarthur “not less than 5,000 acres” for the purpose of sheep breeding and allowed Macarthur to import the first pure merino rams and ewes from the Royal Stud at Kew. Thus the great Australian Wool Industry was established, an industry which has dominated the world wool market and was the source of much of Australia’s wealth.
In 1830 prominent citizens petitioned the governor to establish a town near the Nepean. The Surveyor General, Major Mitchell, suggested that Macarthur surrender 320 acres of his land for this purpose. Macarthur declined to do so, but in 1836, two years after his death, his sons had the area surveyed and offered allotments for sale in 1840. Thus the town of Camden was born.
On 18 August 1883, a meeting of citizens was held to formulate action for the incorporation of the Town of Camden as a Municipality. This incorporation took place in February 1889, and on 24 April of that year the Council held its first meeting. At that time the Council served some 342 people of whom 180 were males and 162 were females. The Unimproved Capital Value of the Municipality was 151,000 pounds and total revenue, including a 500 pound Government Grant, was 961 pounds. In 1948 the Municipality gained Narellan, Catherine Field, Leppington, Bringelly and Rossmore areas from Nepean Shire which had ceased to exist. In this way the area’s borders that exist today were established.
