Shale forms the great majority of the geology of western Sydney. For the most part, west of a line through Pitt Town, Kellyville, Parramatta, Ashfield, Canterbury, Heathcote and Campbelltown, the soils are formed on Wianamatta Shales. Shale also occurs on the ridge capping the North Shore and out to Castle Hill. In the early days of European settlement the poor sandstone soils of Farm Cove could not successfully grow crops. James Ruse grew the first good wheat crops on the shale soils at Rose Hill, just east of Parramatta. Orcharding sprang up in the Hills District to the north, and cropping, dairying and grazing to the west. The underlying shale made all this possible. Read More
