By Christopher Galloway, CEO, Muru Mittigar
On a bright, golden Friday morning, I had the pleasure of welcoming Stefan and Petrea from Cyrius to visit a few of Muru Mittigar’s landscape maintenance sites. They weren’t quite sure what to expect, but I knew we’d see real work in action: hands in soil, Country being cared for, and quiet dedication from our team on the ground.
Our first stop was Fernhill Estate, and what a place to begin.
Nestled across 423 hectares of sweeping rural landscape, Fernhill is a rare jewel on the edge of the Cumberland Plain in Sydney’s west. The site is layered with meaning—both culturally and ecologically—and its centrepiece, Fernhill House, is one of the most significant Greek revival buildings in New South Wales. Set among wide open parklands and rising bushland that climbs towards the Blue Mountains, the Estate has a kind of presence that stays with you.
🦘 A Unique Country
Fernhill Estate sits at the convergence of two distinct landscapes; the clay shales of the Cumberland Plain and the sandstone escarpments of the Blue Mountains. The land here has been sculpted over millennia by uplift, faults, and watercourses, creating a unique blend of soils, microclimates and ecosystems.
The result is a rich and rare natural environment. From sandstone forests to lush rainforest gullies, Fernhill is home to a remarkable mix of vegetation communities, including the critically endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland. The property supports a wide range of native wildlife, from kangaroos and koalas to the regent honeyeater and even, more recently, a platypus spotted in Mulgoa Creek.
Beyond its ecological significance, the estate also carries layers of colonial and post-colonial history. Fernhill’s open parklands were originally designed in the English landscape tradition, but with a unique twist. Native species like the Angophora gum were retained for their resemblance to English oaks, creating a landscape that reflected both European ideals and the character of Country. In the 1900s, designer Paul Sorensen further shaped the gardens, leaving a legacy that continues to evolve today.
🌱 A Thoughtful Approach to Land Care
As we walked the estate together, it became clear that the work happening here is about much more than mowing and hedging, though there’s plenty of that too!
The ‘Caring for Country’ crew is a friendly, passionate team of First Nations men and women, quietly getting on with the job of looking after this vast and complex landscape situated on Dharug Country. They spoke with pride about their role in rehabilitating parts of the historic garden, reviving old rose beds and other colonial species, while making sure the local native plants are healthy, respected and thriving.
There’s a huge volume of work here: metres of hedging, endless mowing, ongoing weeding and careful landscape restoration. And yet, in true Muru Mittigar style, every task is carried out with an incredible sense of care, patience and respect for the land. As we stood looking over the sweeping green hills, it was obvious the team saw themselves as part of something much bigger: stewards of a place with deep roots and real significance.
🌾 Landscape Maintenance, Grounded in Culture
Fernhill is a reminder of how complex and layered land care can be, especially on a site with such cultural, historical and ecological richness. Muru Mittigar’s presence here proves how powerful the right kind of landscape maintenance can be: a balance of cultural knowledge, environmental stewardship and quiet, hard work.
As a First Nations social enterprise, Muru Mittigar brings something unique to this kind of work. Their team doesn’t just maintain the land; they actively contribute to its ongoing story. And that makes all the difference.
If you love the Australian countryside and wide-open spaces, Fernhill is worth a visit. It has a quiet kind of power, a buzzing vibe of history, nature and solitude all rolled into one. It’s the perfect spot for a peaceful picnic or a weekend stroll.
And if you’re looking for thoughtful, professional landscape maintenance—delivered with real care for Country and community, get in touch with Muru Mittigar. We’d love to help you bring your significant outdoor spaces to life.
