Destination's Journey

Category: Sydney

  • Government House Sydney

    Government House Sydney

    Government House

    Located next to the Royal Botanic Garden on Sydney Harbour, Government House is the official residence of the Governor of New South Wales. Completed in 1845, the building is an example of the Gothic Revival style which is characterized by the towers and other medieval features.

    The Governor is appointed by the Sovereign and is her representative in New South Wales. As the formal head of state in New South Wales the Governor has an important constitutional, ceremonial and community role  In respect of constitutional matters, the Governor acts on the advice of his/her Ministers.

    Getting There

    We chose public transport, because it is easy and convenient. Only a ten-minute walk from Central Quay, it’s easily accessible using ferries, trains, light rail or buses.

    Walking through the Botanic Gardens, we only noticed it was open when we saw people wandering through the gardens. On walking up to the front gates, we saw the open times and decided to take the opportunity to go inside.

    Outside and Gardens

    Entry to the gardens is free and you are able to walk through them during opening hours. With views over Sydney Harbour, they are great to wander around and admire. At the same time, the outside of the building and it castle-like appearance look great surrounded by trees.

    • Front of Government House
      Front of Government House
    • Entrance
      Entrance
    • Fig Tree From the Entrance
      Fig Tree From the Entrance
    • Colonnade
      Colonnade
    • Decorative Ceiling Inside the Colonnade
      Decorative Ceiling Inside the Colonnade
    • Colonnade
      Colonnade
    • View Over the Gardens
      View Over the Gardens
    • Some of the Gardens at Government House
      Some of the Gardens at Government House
    • Stained Glass Windows
      Stained Glass Windows

    Interior Tour

    To go on the guided tour inside the building, you need to sign in at the gate house. Identification is required and bags must be left in the cloak room.

    With tours run every 30 minutes, they are convenient and regular. The first starts at 10.30am and the last at 3.00pm. The gardens and guided tours are free of charge, which is great.

    Photography is not permitted inside the house. This is a pity because the interior decorations and artwork are amazing.

    The tour takes you through the public rooms, where the guide explains the significance of the decorations and the house’s history. We learnt a lot about the Governor’s role and how it has changed since the early days of the NSW colony. Originally the Sovereign’s representative, in charge of running the colony, they are now responsible for ceremonial duties, while the Premier and their Ministers run the state.

    If you are able to go on the tour, we really recommend it, as we found it very interesting.

    What did We Think?

    To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

  • State Library of New South Wales

    State Library of New South Wales

    State Library of New South Wales

    Located at 1 Shakespeare Place in the centre of Sydney, the State Library of New South Wales is the oldest library in Australia. Established in 1826, it moved to the current building in 1910. Designed by Walter Liberty Vernon, the heritage listed building has been expanded over the years as its collection has grown.

    Outside the Library

    The magnificent library building has several interesting statues on its grounds, which are worth looking for. To the right of the main entrance is a statue of Lieutenant General Sir Richard Bourke. Erected by the people of New South Wales, the statue commemorates Sir Richard Bourke’s governorship and administration. This was the first monument erected in Australia.

    Across the road from the entrance, is the Shakespeare Memorial, with figures representing Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Portia and Falstaff on the lower level, with Shakespeare standing above them. Located on a traffic island in the middle of a busy road, you need to be careful if getting close, because there is no pedestrian crossing to it.

    • State Library of New South Wales
      State Library of New South Wales Mitchell Building and Façade
    • Lieutenant General Sir Richard Bourke
      Lieutenant General Sir Richard Bourke
    • Shakespeare Memorial
      Shakespeare Memorial

    Matthew Flinders

    A statue of Matthew Flinders, the first person to circumnavigate Australia sits outside the Mitchell Library on Macquarie Street.

    Statue of Matthew Flinders State Library of New South Wales
    Statue of Matthew Flinders – With the cat statue behind him on the window sill

    Flinders’ Cat

    Trim was a ship’s cat who accompanied Matthew Flinders on his voyages to circumnavigate and map the coastline of Australia in 1801–03. It sits on a window ledge of the Mitchell Library on Macquarie Street, directly behind a statue of his owner. The plaque near the statue reads:


    TO THE MEMORY OF
    TRIM
    The best and most illustrious of his race.
    The most affectionate of friends,
    faithful of servants,
    and best of creatures.
    He made the tour of the globe, and a voyage to Australia,
    which he circumnavigated, and was ever the
    delight and pleasure of his fellow voyagers. 
    Written by Matthew Flinders in memory of his cat.
    Memorial donated by the North Shore Historical Society.

    Matthew Flinders’ Cat

    Vestibule

    The library’s vestibule contains a huge copy of the map of Australia made by Abel Tasman in the 1640’s. The original of this historical document is held in the library’s collection.

    • Tasman's Map of Australia
      Tasman’s Map of Australia

    The Library

    The main collection and reading room, the Mitchell Library Reading Room is adjacent to the vestibule. Being large and spacious with beautiful stain glass windows makes it an excellent place for quiet study.

    • Main Hall and Study Room State Library of New South Wales
      Mitchell Library Reading Room
    • Main Hall and Study Room State Library of New South Wales
      Mitchell Library Reading Room
    • Stain Glass Windows State Library of New South Wales
      Stain Glass Windows

    State Library of New South Wales Galleries

    Located on the upper floors of the gallery are several galleries. These contain an excellent collection of paintings and we spent some time wandering around.

    • Paintings in the Gallery
      Paintings in the Gallery
    • Paintings in the Gallery
      Paintings in the Gallery
    • Paintings in the Gallery

    To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

  • Australian Museum Sydney

    Australian Museum Sydney

    Australian Museum

    Located near Hyde Park in the centre of Sydney, the Australian Museum is a wonderful place to spend a few hours wandering around the amazing displays. Designed by colonial architect Mortimer Lewis, the current building opening in 1857, although the museum’s collection dates back to 1827.

    An extensive refurbishment in 2021 has resulted in updated and refreshed exhibits, bringing the museum into the 21st century.

    Getting There

    The Domain carpark is the closest secure parking spot to the museum, being only a ten-minute walk away.

    Using Sydney’s public transport system is easy, with the Museum, St James and Town Hall train stations all within a ten-minute walk of the museum. Bus stops along Elizabeth Street, next to Hyde Park are another great option to get there.

    What to See

    Ground Level

    200 Treasures

    Located on the ground floor the 200 Treasures represent people and objects, that tell stories about Australia and the world.

    The displays range from Zulu shields and Pacific Island sculptures, to a skeleton man on a skeleton horse.

    • Skeleton Man on a Horse Australian Museum Sydney
      Skeleton Man on a Horse
    • Zulu Shields in Treasures of the Museum Australian Museum Sydney
      Zulu Shields in Treasures of the Museum
    • Australian Museum Sydney
      Australian Museum Sydney
    First Nations

    The First Nations display is part of the recent Museum refurbishment, giving an excellent overview of indigenous Australians before colonisation.

    We loved the range of boomerangs, shields and spears on display, along with their descriptions on information panels.

    • Australian Museum Sydney
    • Australian Museum Sydney
    • Australian Museum Sydney
    Wild Planet

    In Wild Planet, animals from Australia and around the world are on display. Two huge elephant skeletons show the size of these animals. Overhead, an even bigger sperm whale skeleton looks down from the ceiling.

    Over 400 animals are displayed here, including extinct and endangered species. This was a great place to learn about the animals and their habitats. Not only do the displays details the animals, but also explain how they are impacted by human activity.

    • Cassowary
      Cassowary
    • Giraffe and Zebra
      Giraffe and Zebra
    • Giraffe
      Giraffe
    • Adult and Juvenile Elephant Skeletons
      Adult and Juvenile Elephant Skeletons

    Level 2

    Birds of Australia

    Australian birds have a whole section to themselves because of their vast numbers and beauty. The displays vary from the giant emu and Cassowary to seabirds and colourful parrots. The parrot display shows the huge range of colours to be found in these birds.

    These displays are a great opportunity for people who don’t leave the city to see the colour of the outback.

    • King Parrot
      King Parrot
    Surviving Australia

    Specialising in the creatures of Australia, this section takes you from ancient megafauna to modern spiders and snakes.

    A model of an ancient diprotodon let you see how massive these giant wombat-like creatures were. Nearby the extinct Thylacine, or Tasmanian Tiger exhibit explains how the mammal went extinct on mainland Australia. The introduction of the dingo outcompeted them for food, driving them to extinction. Surviving until the 1930s in Tasmania, hunting by farmers caused them to die out there too.

    An excellent stop for tourists or locals who want to see some of Australia’s more dangerous animals. Displays of dangerous snakes, spiders and saltwater crocodile allow you to see them up close, but in complete safety.

    • Diprotodon
      Diprotodon
    • Thylacine or Tasmanian Tiger
      Thylacine or Tasmanian Tiger
    Pacific Spirit

    Pacific Spirit celebrates the culture of the Pacific Islands. Wonderful exhibits showcase the unique culture of these people, with masks, headgear, ceremonial poles and jewellery.

    Dinosaurs

    Having loved dinosaurs since being a kid this was one of my favourite exhibits. From T-Rex and velociraptors, there are many dinosaurs on display. One of Australia’s first discovered specimens is on display, muttaburrasaurus. Prior to its discovery in Queensland (near the town of Muttaburra!), very few dinosaur traces were found in Australia.

    • Muttaburrasaurus
      Muttaburrasaurus
    • Muttaburrasaurus Skeleton
      Muttaburrasaurus Skeleton

    The Hobbit Homo Floresiencis

    The discovery of homo floresiencis on the Indonesian Island of Flores caused a huge stir in the world of archaeology, because of its diminutive stature. Controversy about its place in the human family tree still rages in the scientific community. The museum has a small case displaying the hobbit as it has been called. This is not an easy display to find, because it is hidden away under a staircase, going up from the Wild Planet gallery.

    Homo Floresiensis Australian Museum Sydney
    Homo Floresiensis

    Mineralogy

    The mineralogy collection is the oldest rock and mineral collection in Australia, and the mineral component is the largest of any Australian collection. The meteorite collection is the oldest and second largest in the country. With nearly 80,000 specimens, only a few can be on display, however, these are some of the best available.

    Mineral Collection Australian Museum Sydney
    Australian Christmas Beetles Australian Museum Sydney
    Australian Christmas Beetles
    Circle Stone Money Australian Museum Sydney
    Circle Stone Money

    Refreshments

    Two eating areas provide a chance to re-fuel while at the museum. A family friendly kiosk on level 2 is great for a quick snack or light meal. The roof-top restaurant has views over Hyde Park and Sydney Harbour while you dine.

    To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.