Part of section 251, Hundred of Adelaide, was purchased by William Ferguson, who named the 248 acres (100 hectares) Rosefield after his wife Rosina Ferguson.

Some time before 1854 a 40-acre (16 ha) section was purchased by George White (1813–1876), tailor of Hindley Street and owner of "White's Rooms", who lived there with his family.

[3] He established a large formal garden and developed 25 acres (10 ha) as a vineyard.

[4] White died in 1876, and his widow sold the property, which in September 1881 was laid out as Highgate-on-the-Hill by F.J. Botting (1819–1906), naming it after the English town in which he was born.

[6] It replaced the William Jeffries Memorial Methodist Church, which was opened on 21 August 1922, replacing an iron church built in 1911, during Jeffries' ministry.