StreetMahers Road/CloseSuburbBeecroftDetailsThe Maher Family
James Maher, born 1793 in Ireland, was a convict in the district who made good. In 1815 James was sentenced to 7 years and arrived in the Colony in 1816. By 1818 he was the overseer of shingle splitters at the Pennant Hills Sawmill.
James married at Parramatta in 1851 an his son Edward later purchased 34 acres in Pennant Hills. He later added to this with 32 acres from William Mobbs.
Together with two others, William Paling (of Paling piano fame) and William Moseley, Edward bought Murray Farm and in 1882 they proceeded to subdivide the property into orchard blocks. Fifteen of the blocks were retained by Edward Maher all of which were on the western side of Pennant Hills Road. He later donated land for the Catholic cemetery.
Part of the Murray Farm Estate included Mahers Road. When the M2 was built, Mahers Road disappeared and so the old section of the road left isolated was named Maher Close in honour of the pioneer family.
One of the last orchards to survive in the district, and one of the oldest continuing farming families were the Mahers. In fact the Maher family had been renowned as fruit and flower growers since the 1820s.
SourceRay Park Heritage Group Inc. (2018) From Fruit Bowl Farms to Housing Boom. p.112Map[1]
