Old Government House

Situated on the traditional lands of the Burramatta Darug, World Heritage listed Old Government House is the oldest surviving public building in Australia.

Built by convicts, it became the decision-making centre of the colony and served as the 'country residence' for the first ten Governors of Australia.

Today, this elegant Georgian house stands in 200 acres of parkland, overlooking the Parramatta River.

It is home to the National Trust's premier colonial furniture collection, early textiles and significant homewares from the time of the Governors. Please note that access to the house is currently by guided tour only.

Old Government House

The poor quality of the original Sydney Government House, as well as crime and unsanitary conditions in the growing Sydney settlement convinced successive Governors of the desirability of a rural residence.

In 1799 the second Governor, John Hunter, had the remains of Arthur Phillips cottage cleared away, and a more permanent building erected on the same site.

Later, starting in 1815, Governor Lachlan Macquarie and Mrs Macquarie added extensively to Hunters structure and by 1818 their principal residence had acquired the appearance which it retains today (the buildings Palladian style extensions were designed by Macquaries aide, Lieutenant John Watts).

Out buildings in the Governors Domain include a mutilated Bath House attributed to Francis Greenway (1822), some stones from an Observatory built for Governor Thomas Brisbane (1821) and a small farm house built by George Salter in 1798 - and acquired and extended by Governor Lachlan Maquarie in 1816 for use as a dairy.

The building is made from quarried sandstone and is located along the St. John River in Fredericton. The current Lieutenant-Governor resides on the third floor while the first two are open to tours.

From 1896 to 1900, it served as a school for the hearing impaired, a military barracks during World War I and as a hospital after that war.

From 1934 to 1988 it was the Royal Canadian Mounted Police J Division regional headquarters.

"Old Government House"is furnished in the style of the early 1820s and is open to visitors. It is situated on 260 acres (1.1 km) of parkland overlooking the Parramatta River, and is Australias oldest public building.

The grounds are of particular interest as they are a relatively undisturbed colonial-era reserve surrounded by what is now Australias 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 Houses construction have been found to originate from aboriginal middens.