Molonglo Plain - Lower Molonglo Plain

Lower Molonglo Plain

Prior to Lake Burley Griffin's inception the fertile soils of the Molonglo plain were some of most productive in the Canberra region. John Joshua Moore was the first pastoralist to occupy land on the present site of Canberra, preceding Robert Campbell by about a year. It was, however, only an outstation formed by an overseer and a few convict stockmen. Moore's property took in the present sites of the hospital, of Civic Centre and of the Australian National University and the portions of the Molonglo Plain In 1843 during a depression he sold the land to Lieutenant Lieutenant Arthur Jeffreys, R.N., son-in-law of Robert Campbell.

Of the original buildings situated on the former Molonglo Plain, only 'Blundells cottage' remains today. It was constructed in the year 1858 by Robert's son George Campbell for the use of his ploughman William Ginn at a point above the natural flood level, about 400 metres north of the course of the Molonglo River. A number of others building situated near to or on the Molonglo Plain have been lost to Canberra's urban development over the past 70 years. The Klensendorlffe villa is one of the most impressive, a substantial oblong stone ten-roomed stone house, which stood until the mid-1920s near the present site of Albert Hall. The Acton homestead established in about 1843 by Lieutenant Arthur Jeffreys survived until 1941 when it was demolished to make way for the Canberra Community Hospital..