Old Government House, Parramatta

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Old Government House
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 / -33.812119; 150.997359
Construction started	1799
Completed	1820
Client	John Hunter Lachlan Macquarie (as Governors of New South Wales)
Owner	National Trust of Australia (NSW) - Trustee
Grounds	45 hectares (110 acres)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	John Cliffe Watts Francis Greenway Walter Liberty Vernon
Architecture firm	Colonial Architect of New South Wales
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iv, vi
Designated	2010 (34th session)
Part of	Australian Convict Sites
Reference no.	1306}
Region	Asia-Pacific
Australian National Heritage List
Type	Historic
Designated	1 August 2007
Reference no.	105957
New South Wales Heritage Register
Type	Historical
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	00596

The Old Government House is a heritage-listed former "country" residence used by ten early governors of New South Wales between 1800 and 1847, located in Parramatta Park in Parramatta, New South Wales, in the greater metropolitan area of Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.^[1] It is considered a property of national and international significance as an archaeological resource. It also serves to demonstrate how the British Empire expanded and Australian society has evolved since 1788.^[1]

The poor quality of the original Sydney Government House, as well as crime and unsanitary conditions in the growing Sydney 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.