From Stud Farm to Community Landmark
For thousands of years, the land around Wilton was home to the Gandangara people. In the 1820s, colonial grants created farms that would later be consolidated into Wilton Park.
In 1892, Sydney businessman Samuel Hordern purchased 1,952 acres here and established the Wilton Park Stud. With imported stallions like Haut Brion and Gigue, Wilton Park became a byword for excellence, producing bloodlines that shaped racing across Australia.
The site was ingeniously designed: a formal brick stable quadrangle, a remarkable timber round yard, underground tanks, stone dams and a network of paddocks. At its peak, Wilton Park supported hundreds of horses, from delivery Clydesdales to champion thoroughbreds.
Through the 20th century the property evolved under new owners, but its core buildings survived. In 1983, Wilton Park was added to the NSW State Heritage Register.
Timeline
Sources: GBA Heritage (2024), NSW Heritage Inventory, Sydney Mail (1898)
