Rediscovering Ginninderra:
Strayleaf

'Strayleaf' on Gundaroo Road, Mulligans Flat was occupied by the Cavanagh family from the late 1890s until it was resumed for the suburbs of Amaroo and Forde in the 1990s.

John Butler was the first person known to occupy 'Strayleaf', but it is unknown whether he built it.

Adjoining paddocks were owned by John Crinigan and GT Palmer, W Davis then E Crace.

Clarence Bede and Esther (Smith) Cavanagh purchased "Strayleaf" around the late 1890s, largely from E Crace.

Some of John Crinigan's 'Stone Hut' blocks were absorbed into "Strayleaf", as the Cavanagh's were related to John Crinigan's second wife, the widow Margaret Logue, through Clarence's mother Mary Logue.

When it was resumed for the Federal Capital Territory it was leased back as ACT Block 20 Gunghalin of 1,066 acres

The original 'Strayleaf' house was a small two bedroom cottage with open verandahs, and with six children, some had to sleep on the verandah with only hessian blinds for protection. The verandahs were later enclosed and the house was extended in 1965.

After Clarence's death in 1933, Esther held the lease and continued farming with her brothers-in-law and son Jack until 1965.

John Cavanagh and his wife Joyce then took over "Strayleaf" and farmed until it was resumed in 1994.

Strayleaf is commemorated by the naming of Strayleaf Crescent which follows the old road close to where the property stood.

In 2013 the Holy Spirit Parish completed the building of its presbytery and office block on the paddock the Cavanagh's called "The Post Office", one of many paddocks that were once part of 'Strayleaf'.