 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2021) |
| Old Government House | |
|---|---|
Old_Government_House_010.jpg) Old Government House | |
  Old Government House Location in Greater Sydney | |
| General information | |
| Type | Mansion |
| Architectural style | Old Colonial Georgian |
| Location | Parramatta Park, Parramatta, Greater Sydney, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°48′44″S 150°59′50″E / 33.812119°S 150.997359°E |
| Construction started | 1799 |
| Completed | 1820 |
| Client | (as Governors of New South Wales) |
| Owner | National Trust of Australia (NSW) - Trustee |
| Grounds | 45 hectares (110 acres) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | |
| Architecture firm | Colonial Architect of New South Wales |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iv, vi |
| Designated | 2010 (34th session) |
| Part of | Australian Convict Sites |
| Reference no. | 1306} |
| Region | Asia-Pacific |
| Type | Historic |
| Designated | 1 August 2007 |
| Reference no. | 105957 |
| Type | Historical |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 00596 |
Old Government House is a heritage-listed former "country" residence used by ten early Governors of the then-Colony of New South Wales, between 1800 and 1847, and which is located in Parramatta Park in Parramatta, in the suburbs of Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.[1] It is considered a site of national and international significance as an archaeological and historical resource. It also serves to demonstrate how the 18th-century British Empire conducted its expansion, and how Australian society has evolved since its establishment in 1788.[1]
The poor quality of the original Sydney Government House, as well as crime and unsanitary conditions in the growing Sydney penal settlement[2] convinced successive Governors of the desirability of a rural residence. In 1799 the second Governor, John Hunter, had the remains of Arthur Phillip's cottage cleared away, and a more permanent building erected on the same site.
Old Government House is furnished in the style of the early 1820s and is open to visitors. It is situated at Parramatta on 110 hectares (260 acres) of parkland overlooking the Parramatta River, and is Australia's oldest public building. The grounds are of particular interest as they are a relatively undisturbed colonial-era reserve surrounded by what is now Australia's largest urban area. The practice of "firestick" land management conducted by the aboriginal Darug tribe, which once dwelt in the area, is evident from certain scars to be seen on trees still standing (their bark being removed to build canoes). Also, shells used to strengthen the mortar used in the House's construction have been found to originate from Aboriginal middens.[2]
In July 2010 Old Government House and Domain was inscribed on the World Heritage List as one of 11 Australian sites with a significant association with convict transportation (i.e. the Australian Convict Sites) which together represent "the best surviving examples of large-scale convict transportation and the colonial expansion of European powers through the presence and labour of convicts"[3]
The land the property is situated on is named Darug land, home to the Burramatta tribe. There is evidence of Aboriginal occupation on the site, such as middens.
- ^ a b "Old Government House". Sydney's Definitive Business Guide.
- ^ a b "Old Government House now on World Heritage List". National Trust: Places to Visit. National Trust of Australia (NSW). Retrieved 11 December 2010.
- ^ UNESCO's World Heritage "Australian Convict Sites" webpages>