Stepping into Country: A Visit to Fernhill Estate with Muru Mittigar
By Stefan Sojka
On a golden Friday morning, we had the privilege of joining Christopher from Muru Mittigar on a tour of some of their landscape maintenance sites, starting with the spectacular Fernhill Estate.
To be honest, we weren’t entirely sure what to expect. We’ve worked with Muru on a number of creative projects, but seeing the work they do on the ground, literally, gave us a whole new level of admiration and respect. What we witnessed was more than land care. It was quiet, powerful, deeply cultural stewardship.
A Place That Stays With You
Fernhill Estate is hard to describe without slipping into poetry. Set across 423 hectares on Dharug Country, it holds a unique presence: rolling open parklands, rising bushland, and a stunning historic home at its heart, Fernhill House, one of NSW’s most significant Greek revival buildings.
But it’s not just the scale or beauty that struck us. It’s the layers. The estate sits where the Cumberland Plain meets the Blue Mountains escarpment, creating a natural blend of clay shales and sandstone ridgelines. Over millennia, this landscape has shaped itself into something rare, a mosaic of microclimates, endangered woodlands, and rich biodiversity. We were told a platypus was recently spotted in nearby Mulgoa Creek. We weren’t surprised.
Culture in the Landscape
Walking through the property, guided by Christopher and accompanied by the Muru Mittigar team, it became clear that this wasn’t just groundskeeping. This was cultural care, environmental care, and historical respect, all carried out by a crew of First Nations men with quiet pride and expert knowledge.
They showed us sections of the historic garden where they’ve been reviving old rose beds and colonial plantings, while also nurturing native species and ensuring the land remains balanced and thriving. Every task, from hedging to weeding, was being done with precision, purpose, and deep cultural awareness.
The sheer volume of work is immense, but you’d never know it from the calm, grounded energy of the team. These aren’t just workers, they’re custodians, helping the estate continue its story in a way that honours both Country and community.
Capturing a Story in Motion
As we moved through the estate, we brought out the GoPro and Nikon to capture the team in action, filming as they mowed, trimmed, pruned, and restored. It was important to us to show not just the scale and beauty of the landscape, but the diligence, care and physicality of the work being done. Through our lenses, we documented a story of connection, between people, place, and purpose. The footage reflects both the quiet intensity of the team and the serene majesty of Fernhill, giving a glimpse into what it means to truly care for Country.
Why This Matters to Us
As creatives and storytellers, we spend a lot of time capturing brand narratives and finding the right words to express complex ideas. But sometimes, you need to step into a place like Fernhill to be reminded of what real storytelling looks like.
It’s in the way the trees have been left to echo old landscape ideals. It’s in the cultural knowledge guiding every pruning decision. And it’s in the way Muru Mittigar approaches this work, not just as a contract, but as a responsibility.
This visit left us inspired. Not just by the scale of the site or the beauty of the gardens, but by the values that underpin Muru’s work: respect, community, care for Country, and cultural connection.
We’re proud to collaborate with a team like this, and we’re looking forward to seeing how the next chapter of Fernhill unfolds.
And if you’re looking for thoughtful, professional landscape maintenance, delivered with real care for Country and community, get in touch with Muru Mittigar. They’d love to help you bring your significant outdoor spaces to life.