The homestead Beefacres formed a large part of the area now known as Windsor Gardens.
The property was first settled by Edward Mead Bagot in 1853, who named it ‘Beefacres’ because he drove his stock from New South Wales and fattened them up on the site to sell in Adelaide. Charles and John Hart, sons of the late Captain John Hart of Glanville purchased the property in 1876.
During their ownership, the estate developed into a village known as the Beefacres Estate, which accommodated 40 people. In the 1890s, portions of the property were sold to multiple buyers, and by 1960 it had been divided up into smaller lots for housing.
In 1849 the regally named section ‘Windsor’ was advertised as: “Raised above all neighbouring sections. Windsor commands an almost unbounded extent of mountainous, marine and woodland scenery.
An inexhaustible quarry of excellent building stone exists near the river and purchasers will be supplied at the mere expense of cartage with building material worthy to constitute a South Australian Windsor Castle.”
