Archaeological digs at Belgenny Farm since September last year have tried to find Elizabeth Macarthur's first residence on the property. The ``small miserable hut'' was described in an 1810 diary entry and depicted in an 1835 Conrad Martens painting.

Archaeologist Ted Higginbotham and his team used the landscape in that painting and an 1840s estate plan to try to find out where the hut was.

After excavations last month and last September, Dr Higginbotham was 90per cent sure the team had found Mrs Macarthur's hut on Belgenny Farm.

But a letter from Annette Macarthur-Onslow published in the Advertiser on June24 suggests the hut was further east than the building the team had found.

Belgenny Farm Trust chairman said the trust wanted all information regarding the history of Belgenny Farm so that visitors and the general population could learn about it and its importance to the history of this country.

``We therefore believe it's good to have debate regarding matters of historical interest but ultimately the evidence we find will determine what's concluded from any investigation,'' he said.

Dr Higginbotham said he found it encouraging to have the findings of a dig debated instead of just reported in the newspapers.

``This is a first for me after nearly 30 years of work in the field,'' he said. ``Miss Annette Macarthur-Onslow is a descendant of John and Elizabeth Macarthur and has conducted extensive research into her family history.''

Dr Higginbotham paid tribute to Miss Macarthur-Onslow's help in the archaeological investigation of the hut and said he hoped she would make a continuing contribution to the project. ``Should the Belgenny Farm Trust approve further investigation, then the goal will be to extend the topsoil survey to locate all remaining building sites on this ridge of land,'' he said.

``Test-trenching will then be used to determine if we have any other contenders for the `small miserable hut'.''