The small town of Marulan can be found on the Hume Highway between Canberra and Sydney. Although the highway bypasses the town, it’s worth a stop to see the historic buildings, have a break and enjoy a coffee at one of several cafes in town.
Historic Buildings
Most of the buildings are on George Street, so after parking we walked along the street to see them. Most of them have information boards outside, providing a history of each building. Re-purposed by their owners, many buildings are now cafes, restaurants or shops. This is great as they can then maintain them for future generations to admire.
Meridian Park
Located in Meridian Park on George St, the Marulan Meridian Arch is a sculpture that forms an arch with a metal sphere on an axis mounted at the top of arch. It is the very centre of the time zone UTC+10:00 and, as such, the sun rises here at approximately 6:00am, then sets at exactly 6:00pm, every equinox.
Marulan Meridian ArchMarulan Town ClockOld Royal HotelOld Royal HotelGreat Southern Garage now a CafeMural inside the cafeAll Saints ChurchOld Butchers ShopOld Butchers ShopBilly Tea SignOld General Store
Once the main water supply for the Lower Hunter Valley, the Walka Water Works at Maitland is now a public reserve. With free public access, it has barbecues, picnics areas, a playground, walking trails and a 7 1/4-inch gauge miniature railway that operates passenger rides each Sunday.
History of the Water Works
Newcastle and the Hunter Valley’s increasing population during the late 1800’s led to a requirement for a permanent water supply. The Walka site near Maitland was selected for the water works, with construction completed in 1887. Not only was drinking and washing water guaranteed, but it enabled sewerage to be installed, improving the health of the urban population.
As the population continued to grow, additional water sources were developed, such as Chichester Dam. As a result, Walka became a back-up supply from 1923 to 1940. In 1947 the station closed and the pumps and equipment sold for scrap.
Although re-commissioned as a power station in 1956 it finally closed in 1976.
A Public Reserve
Featuring an Italianate architecturally designed structure with an ornate brickwork the pumphouse is the centrepiece of the reserve. With the machinery sold for scrap the interior is empty, but you can admire the outside. We walked around the building and chimney stack before walking to the dam.
Near the dam, a small 7 1/4-inch miniature railway operates on Sundays, taking a small loop before returning to its station. It’s very popular with kids and the young at heart when running. Check to see it its operating before you go to avoid disappointment.
Several walking tracks weave around the dam, providing great opportunities to see some of the 300 species of birds that visit during the year. Still intact, the dam wall forms a large lake that is also home to turtles, some of which we saw sunning themselves on the rocks.
A great place for families to visit for a picnic or barbecue as well as learn about some of Maitland’s industrial past.
The Pump HousePump House ChimneyRear of the Pump HouseFront of the Pump HouseDam WallTwo Turtles in the Dam
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
Entrance
Fig Tree From the Entrance
Colonnade
Decorative Ceiling Inside the Colonnade
Colonnade
View Over the Gardens
Some of the Gardens at Government House
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.
