About Experiment Farm Cottage
Experiment Farm Cottage is a heritage house museum at Harris Park in Parramatta, New South Wales. It stands on the site of Australia's first successful European farm established by James Ruse in 1789. The present cottage was built c.1834 by surgeon John Harris and is one of Australia's oldest surviving cottages. Managed by the National Trust of Australia (NSW), it displays colonial furniture and interprets early colonial farming and domestic life.
Visitors guide
Visitors can explore the colonial cottage with period-furnished rooms, outbuildings and a heritage garden recreating early 19th-century plantings. The site includes displays on James Ruse's farming experiment and the Harris family, with volunteer guides providing interpretation. The setting is a quiet residential street near Parramatta, with a small garden, lawns and interpretive signage. Visits are self-guided with guided tours available.
Key highlights
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One of Australia's oldest surviving cottages, built c.1834
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Site of James Ruse's 1789 Experiment Farm, the first successful European farm in Australia
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Authentically furnished colonial interiors with period furniture and artefacts
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Heritage garden with colonial-era plantings and outbuildings
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Operated by the National Trust of Australia (NSW) with guided interpretation