JAMES LITCHFIELD, with his wife, arrived ill Sydney from England early in 1852. He had followed mixed farming in his homeland, and was attracted by the possibilities of Australia, where he intended to enter upon pastoral pursuits. Although he was provided with some capital, he did not at once seek to invest it in land and stock, but having been furnished with letters of introduction to some of Australia's leading squatters, amongst whom was Mr. William Bradley, of Goulburn, obtained from the latter an appointment on his Coolringdon property, with a view to enabling him to gain Colonial experience. Leaving his wife at Goulburn, he arrived at Coolringdon in a spring cart, after a trip which occupied three weeks. After working for possibly twelve months, he became manager of Myalla, a property also belonging to Mr. Bradley, and this position he held for about seven years. When the Land Act of 1861 became law, Mr. Litchfield was one of those who early availed himself of its provisions, and in April, 1862, he selected 320 acres of land on Jillamatong Creek. Here he formed a home which, in memory of a spot in England, he called "Springwell." Mr. Litchfield early recognised the suitability of the Manaro pastures for sheep breeding, and about 1870 established the Hazeldean stud flock. For his foundation stock he obtained sheep of the best strains, and was keenly interested in and devoted to this work till about 1884, when the superintendence of the stud was entrusted to his sons. These latter, working on the definite lines laid down by their father have, over a long period of years, successfully demonstrated that Manaro is capable of producing really high-class merino sheep. As a result the Hazeldean flock has become widely and favorably known, and sheep from it have been sought for by owners in every State in the Commonwealth, and have been purchased for New Zealand and even African breeders. Mr. Litchfield, by selections and purchases, gradually increased his holding, till he was possessed of large areas, which formed the estate at one time known as Hazeldean. In 1883 he removed from Springwell to Hazeldean, some few miles away from his original selection.

Mr. Litchfield had a family of seven-four sons and three daughters-all of whom were born in New South Wales, his eldest son, Mr. A. J. Litchfield, having been born at Coolringdon in 1854.