MORE FUN AT SOPHIA’S PARK
New playground equipment has made Sophia Doyle Reserve at Baulkham Hills a winner with young children.
Located on the corner of Glanmire and Jasper Roads, Baulkham Hills, Sophia Doyle Reserve has now tripled in size.
Hills Shire Council has installed a new shade sail over the playground to promote sun safety and added picnic seating and a bubbler.
Hills Shire Mayor, Michelle Byrne said that she was happy seeing the playground being used by residents. Her twin daughters, Maddison and Alexis have already given the equipment the thumbs up.
“Playgrounds are incredibly important and that’s because they foster physical, social, emotional, imaginative and cognitive development. Council takes this into consideration when creating these special community facilities,” she said.
The park is named after Sophia Doyle who accompanied her convict husband Andrew Doyle from Ireland in 1801.
Andrew (an engraver and printer) was convicted of forging Irish bank notes and transported for life to Australia. Sophia paid her passage to accompany him as a free settler with their three children. Another four were born in this area.
The couple received a 60 acre land grant at Baulkham Hills in 1804 and Andrew (as a convict) was assigned to his wife Sophia until his conditional pardon in 1806. The couple had seven children and reportedly 66 grandchildren.
Sophia died at the family’s property Ulitedinburra Lodge at Sackville Reach in 1855 and is buried at St Mathew’s Churchyard Windsor.
