Experiment Farm Cottage stands on the site of the first land grant in Australia, made in 1789 by Governor Phillip to the former convict, James Ruse. By 1791 Ruse had successfully farmed the 30 acre site as an experiment in self-sufficiency, proving that a new settler could feed and shelter his family with relatively little assistance to get started.

The Indian-style bungalow there today was built by Surgeon John Harris, who purchased the land from Ruse in 1793 for £40. It is thought to have been built by circa 1835. It is one of Australia's oldest standing properties, and features in an 1837 sketch and subsequent watercolour by Conrad Martens.

The house is furnished to reflect the home of Surgeon Harris, with simple but elegant pieces from the National Trust's collection of early colonial furniture, the largest of its kind in Australia.