brunskill built the first home for the family shortly after arrival in 1839, on land later owned by sir edwin smith, on the site of the present loreto college, then another cottage on the present dudley road, and finally the most elaborate of all, a house which they called sandford, on the site of the current eden park. a huge norfolk pine planted by the brunskills still stands. brunskill ran a brick-making business and grew crops such as wheat and kept cattle, while sarah tended to pigs. he was a businessman in the city. the brunskills sold up when they moved to the barossa valley in 1857, when they also subdivided and sold more land to the church.