Colonel Henry Dumaresq 'St. Heliers' Sir Edward Parry, on his visit to St. Heliers in 1832 found much beauty about the estate, however the greater part of the best land, the flats next to the river, were liable to be covered with water in floods.  Sir Edward found a good deal of the land in front of the house was under cultivation and two miles distant was situated what Colonel Dumaresq called 'the farm', 70 acres of tolerable land. There was an overseer's cottage and men's huts at the farm. These huts were well built with little verandahs in front and very neatly kept. Sir Edward thought that the men seemed very comfortable in every respect. The house at St. Heliers was considered a very good one, built of substantial stone however the lime was of poor quality being procured from an inferior limestone found 2 or 3 miles from the farm. Sir Edward remained at St. Heliers for the weekend.  The rest of his party with drays and servants camped at the river on Friday night where they were supplied with milk and various other refreshments by Colonel Dumaresq. They moved on to travel ahead beyond St. Aubins on the Saturday morning, while Sir Edward remained, attending a Sunday service performed by Colonel Dumaresq in the morning at 'the farm' two miles from the homestead. Henry Dumaresq's estates were highly praised by Rev. Dr. John Dunmore Lang - In 1834, when Sir Edward Parry returned to England, Henry Dumaresq took over the position of Commissioner of the Australian Agricultural Company and he and his family moved to Tahlee House at Port Stephens. Henry Dumaresq also claimed a vast squatting station for himself on the New England tablelands - 100,000 acres which he named in memory of his family connections with the Seigneur de Saumarez in the Channel Isles. He sent a large contingent of men, livestock and machinery to occupy Samaurez, under the control of his superintendent, Adam Wightman. A head station, store and stables were set up above Saumarez Creek. Within a few years Wightman had also built a shearing shed and men’s huts. St. Heliers was visited by Missionaries James Backhouse and George Washington Walker in June 1836. Superintendent Adam Wightman accompanied the Missionaries. Later Backhouse gave the following account of the estate -   Henry Dumaresq had been injured at the Battle of Waterloo. He died on 5 March 1838 at Port Stephens as a result of his injuries. Read his Obituary Here. His body was taken from Port Stephens on the steamer William IV and shipped on the Sophia Jane to Green Hills, there to be conveyed to his estate of St. Heliers. He had married Elizabeth Sophia elder daughter of Hon. Augustus Richard Butler Danvers, son of Brinsley second Earl of Lanesborough in England in 1828, and on his death his widow Elizabeth Sophia, inherited the successful Saumarez station. Saumarez was managed by William Dumaresq, whose New England property Tilbuster adjoined Samaurez.  Elizabeth Sophia returned to England in 1841 to educate her family. She and seven children departed for London on the barque Lord Eldon on 14 January 1841. She was accompanied by Mr. Butler. Campbell France R.N., was returning to England on the same vessel, having arrived as Surgeon Superintendent on the King William in 1840. William Allen, a member of a notorious bushranging gang led by 'Gentleman Dick' in 1839, had absconded from this estate Find out about the monument to Henry Dumaresq erected at Stroud at Monument Australia Unlocking Regional Memory - Saumarez Saumarez - National Trust Dumaresq River - Named by Allan Cunningham for Henry Dumaresq in 1827 Powerhouse Museum Collection