Historical Feature - Elizabeth Macarthur

Elizabeth MACARTHUR 1766-1850

Elizabeth Veale was born and educated in England. In 1788 she married an ambitious young officer, John Macarthur, and one year later they sailed with the second fleet to New South Wales. In 1793 John Macarthur was granted 100 acres of prime farming land in Parramatta.

They settled there and John named it 'Elizabeth Farm' in honour of his wife. As well as bringing 8 children into the world, Elizabeth took a keen interest in the farm and was to eventually help influence a wool export industry in the colony.

In 1801, John Macarthur was sent back to England, and did not return until 1805. In his absence, Elizabeth successfully managed the property, which by that time was the largest of its kind in Australia.

Elizabeth became an expert in fleeces and set up the infra-structure to export colonial wool. She was the first to breed the world-renowned Merino which became the foundation of Australia's wool industry - significantly increasing the yield of fine wool.

Elizabeth Macarthur pioneered the colonial sheep industry, an industry that was to have a profound effect on the economic growth of Australia. Elizabeth died in Sydney in 1850.

Source: Booklet accompanying the 1995 Masterpieces in Silver - Colonial Australia - Set.

Elizabeth Macarthur is featured on the following Australian coins:

1995 Five Dollars