Historical Outline

Sheldon Forest is not part of Rofe Park but is directly next to it and an integral and greatly valued part of this landscape. It is part of an unbroken three-kilometre-long stretch of bushland (Sheldon Forest, Rofe Park and Comenarra Creek Reserve) that connects the Pacific Highway with Lane Cove National Park in South Turramurra. This natural bush corridor forms a State BioBanking site, (see No.3 page 16) and is one of only seven biobank sites established in NSW through the Linking Landscapes - Local Action grant program. It contains one of the last core remnants of Blue Gum High Forest, identified as a ‘critically endangered species’. We have less than 1% left of the original BGHF.

• Sheldon Forest was part of 60 acres originally granted to Richard Gilbert by Crown Grant in 1821.

• In 1898, Thomas Dalton of Sydney, transferred 39 acres of his land to his daughter Blanche Mary Sheldon. In 1934, Lady Sheldon obtained permission from Ku-ring-gai Council to subdivide the part of her land between the Pacific Highway and the railway line, leaving a residue of approximately 35 acres.

• Ku-ring-gai Council offered to buy the 35 acres in 1947. The offer was rejected by Lady Sheldon and Council proceeded to resume the property for the purpose of the ‘Improvement and embellishment of the area’.

• In 1949, under Notice of Resumption, The Council of the Municipality of Ku-ring-gai became the proprietor of the land. Sheldon Forest, from the railway line to Rofe Park contains one of the last core remnants of Blue Gum High Forest, identified as a ‘critically endangered species’.

Information supplied by Lorna Watt, President, Ku-ring-gai Historical Society