Conserve

Open Doors for Fifty Years

BY ANNA RIDLEY, ASSISTANT CURATOR

Old Government House was built in 1799 and the site on which it sits has been used by the first 10 governors of the colony from Arthur Phillip to Sir Charles FitzRoy. Private tenancy and housing The King’s School followed until, in 1967, the National Trust (NSW) was entrusted with its care and opened the site to the public as a museum in 1970. This year marks half a century of Old Government House playing an important role as a tourist destination, a venue for special occasions, a centre for education and historical discovery, and a place for the community.

What makes Old Government House special is not just the house – or what’s in the house – it is its location and setting within the 110-hectare Parramatta Park overlooking the Parramatta River. Although you can see the tops of the office buildings, visitors are immediately transported to a place and time when the most dominant structure in the area was Old Government House.

The park and house show evidence of the original custodians of the land. Scars on trees still standing in Parramatta Park tell the story of the Burramatta land management and there are shells used in the mortar of Old Government House that have been found to originate from Aboriginal middens.

Once inside, history lovers are transported back to the days of the Macquaries with the downstairs of the house recreated to match the 1820 inventory of Macquarie’s furniture. Every year, 15,000 to 20,000 visitors from Sydney, across Australia and from around the world come to Old Government House to explore its history or take part in the rich program of events at the site. A number of stories are told at Old Government House, including the life and times of Lachlan Macquarie and his family, the convicts who served them, women in various roles, emancipists and free-settlers.

The property was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999. Old Government House and the Government Domain were included in the Australian National Heritage List in 2007.

Top image – An International and National Heritage Treasure World Heritage listed, Old Government House, is located at Parramatta Park overlooking the Parramatta River. It is a highlight on the Great West Walk - see greatwestwalk.com.au for details.

Bottom image – The Days of the Macquaries Old Government House conveys to visitors what life and work was like at the time of the Macquaries. The kitchen is shown here.

Photography by Stephen Gustav Reinhardt, SGR Photo.

People Make the Story Old Government House would not be open to the public without the support of a dedicated team of staff and 150 volunteers. The property is also supported by the Friends of Old Government House and Experiment Farm Cottage, who fundraise and share the heritage of the site with the community and tourists through events and local initiatives. Two of Old Government House’s many volunteers have dedicated their time and historical knowledge to the National Trust for more than 45 years each.

Visit Old Government House is open Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 4pm (last entry 3.30pm). For more information and to find out about upcoming events visit nationaltrust.org.au/ places/old-government-house/.

CELEBRATED INTERNATIONALLY

At the UNESCO World Heritage Committee session held in July 2010, the Australian Convict Sites were placed on the World Heritage List. Old Government House and the Domain (Parramatta Park) are one of the Australian Convict Sites, which includes Hyde Park Barracks and Cockatoo Island.