▁that ▁time . ▁At kin son ▁sub div ided ▁the ▁estate ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁retain ing ▁the ▁industrial ▁and ▁commercial ▁components , ▁but ▁s elling ▁the ▁hom est ead ▁and ▁the ▁und e velop ed ▁land . ▁ ▁William ▁We aver , ▁architect ▁and ▁engineer ▁was ▁Col onial ▁( G overn ment ) ▁Arch itect ▁for ▁ 1 8 ▁months ▁from ▁ 1 8 5 5 – 6 . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁April ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁We aver , ▁aged ▁ 2 8 , ▁began ▁private ▁practice ▁at ▁ 2 5 ▁Pitt ▁Street . ▁The ▁colonial ▁economy ▁was ▁prosper ing , ▁the ▁new ▁Sydney ▁Railway ▁was ▁running ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁Liverpool ▁and ▁sub urban ▁development ▁encourag ed ▁spec ulative ▁building . ▁We aver ' s ▁largest ▁single ▁contract ▁was ▁commission ed ▁by ▁At kin son , ▁for ▁the ▁Col ling wood ▁Ab atto ir ▁complex . ▁Col ling wood ▁house ▁today ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁surv iving ▁section ▁of ▁this ▁major ▁project ▁which ▁must ▁have ▁well ▁expressed ▁the ▁current ▁m ood ▁of ▁reck less ▁colonial ▁optim ism ▁and ▁which ▁later ▁led ▁At kin son ▁to ▁ins ol ven cy . ▁It ▁included ▁sla ugh ter ing ▁houses , ▁yards , ▁a ▁two - store y ▁brick ▁Railway ▁Store ▁with ▁ced ar ▁f itt ings , ▁a ▁three - store y ▁brick ▁steam ▁fl our ▁mill , ▁a ▁mill er ' s ▁c ott age , ▁an ▁iron b ark ▁and ▁p ine ▁sal ting ▁house , ▁a ▁brick