Governor King had a very difficult time as governor. He had trouble with the soldiers, especially John Macarthur. He also had trouble with the Irish Convicts. This all affected his health. In 1806, it was nearly time for him to return to England. He was worried about what would happen to his wife, Anna Josepha King, and his children if he died. He decided to give them land grants at South Creek. When Governor Bligh arrived in 1806, to take over from King, he signed the grants. Gov. King and his family returned to England in 1807. They left a manager in charge of their property "Dunhevad".

In 1817, Philip Parker King married Harriet Lethbridge in the St Mary Magdalene, Church of England, in Launceston, Cornwell, England. He was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and was soon sent to Australia to finish mapping the coastline, a job started by Matthew Flinders. Harriet stayed in the family home in Parramatta and visited the Dunheved farm often. Phillip finished his mapping and the family went back to England in 1823.

In 1827, Phillip was sent to South America to map the coastline there. He took his eldest son, who was only eight, with him. The boy was named Philip Gidley King after his grandfather. Harriet didn't see them for five years.
Just after they left, Harriet's brother, Robert Copland Lethbridge, married Phillip's sister Mary King. They came to Australia and Harriet and her sons came with them. Robert and Mary built a home on Mary's grant which was called "Werrington" after a Lethbridge property in Cornwall. Harriet moved into "Dunheved" with her five sons and helped run the farm. Another of Phillip's sisters, Maria, had married Hannibal Macarthur and they were living at Parramatta. Harriet wrote to Phillip in October 1827 about a bushranger being found on the farm. He was locked up and taken to the court in Penrith the next morning. In May 1823 she writes of a terrible drought which lasted for months.

Phillip returned to England with his maps in 1832. He then came back to Sydney, bringing his mother with him.

The western side of the King properties was heavily timbered and was known as Kings Wood (Kingswood).