First Government House - Bridge Street & Phillip Street - NSW

First Government House

Bridge Street And Phillip Street South Western Corner




33° 51’49”S
151° 12’ 41”E

Where The Museum Of Sydneyis Now, Is Where The Frst And Original Government

House Stood....

It's The House That Governor Bligh Was Supposedly Hiding Under the Bed When a The Red coats Of The New South Wales Army Corp Were Going to Put Him

under House Arrest. 

Construction Of The First Government House  Was Commenced On This Site On May 15 1788, And Governor Phillip Moved In Shortly Before June 4th 1789. It Was The Residence Of All Governors Until 1845 

Captain Collins Worte That A Gang If Labourers Was Put

under The Direction Of A Stonemason, And On The 15th May The First Stone Of The  Building Intended For The Residence Of The Governor Until Government House Could Be Erected  Was Laid On The East Side Of The Cove. 

On the 7th March 1899 Robert John McCann, While Excavating A Telegraph Tunnel, Discovetrd The Cornerstone Of The Building

Said McCann " I Came Across 2 Flat Stones, One On Top Of Another, And On Clearing The Earth I Saw A Piece Of Copper Lying Between Them, I Took Care Not To Injure The Copper Plate, Because I Thought It May Be Of Some value, As There Was Writing On It. It's Only Blemish When Found 111 Years After Its Embedment Was Discoloration From Dampness And A Hole

made With A Workman's PickAxe"

This Historic Copper Pate Is Now In The Dixson Gallery, Sydney

The First Government House Was Completed On The 4th June 1789, In Time To Celebrate The Birthday of Goerge III. Governor Phillip Threw AParty  There In Honour Of His Illustrious Master. 

The Buiding In Bridge Street, About The Corner Of Phillip Street Stood About 56 Feet AboveThe High Water Mark. There "By Sinking A Well About Fifteen Feet In The Rock, An Excellent Sprring Of pure Water" Was Obtained. 

The House Included Australia’s First Staircase

It is 170ft Long And 40 And A Half Feet High. The Ballroom

Measures 150 Ft In Length And 28Ft Width. 

The Present Government House Stands In A Portion Of The Domain, On The Shores of Farm Cove, And Was First Occupied By Governor Gipps in 1845. Joseph Fowles, In Sydney 1848 Described It As An Elegant Sandstone Ediface In Tudor Gothic"

Governor Arthur Phillips Garden - Macquarie Place - Near South Western Corner - NSW

Governor Phillip's Garden

Macquarie Place, Near South Western Corner 

David Collins Remarked "Some Ground Having Been Prepared Near His Excellency's House On The Eat Side, The Plants From Rio De Janeiro And The Cape Of Good Hope Were safely Brought To Shore In A Few Days; And We Soon Had The Satisfaction Of Seeing The Grape, The Fig, The Orange, The Pear And The Apple, taking Root And Establishing Themselves In Our New World" 

Surgeon General John White in His Journal Of A Voyage To New South Wales Wrote About The Sick Suffering From Dysentry And Scurvy. 

"His Excellency, Seeing The State These Poor Objects Were In, ordered A Piece Of Ground To Be Inclosed, For The Purpose Of Raising Vegetables For Them. The Seeds That Were Sown Upon This Occassion, on first Appearing Above The Ground, Looked Promising And Well, Which Was Not Indeed Wxtraordinary, As They Were Not Sown At A Proper Season Of The Year."

In May 1788 Governor Phillip Gloomily

Commented "From The Great Labour Which Attended The Clearing Of The Ground, It Proved Impracticable To Sow More Than Eight To Ten Acres With Wheat And Barley; And It Was Feared That Even This Crop Would Suffer From The Depredations Of Ants And Field

nice. 

Two Bunches Of Grapes Were Plucked On The 24th January 1791, Three years Later. And 

"It Was Predicted In The Vehemence Of Expectation That Their Juice Will Hereafter Furnish An Indisputable Article Of Luxury At European Tables."

Lieutenant P.G. King on 29th January Noted In Their Journal: - "Some Convicts Digging Up The Ground for A Garden."

Surgeon General John White Travelled On The Transport Charlotte to Botany Bay With The First Fleet, And Remained In New South Wales Until December 1794, After Which He Returned To England.  While In England's Newest Colony, The Peppery Doctor, Besides Collecting Material On The Fauna And Flora Of The Colony, Fought A Duel With His Assistant, Dr William Balmain. White's Book - Journal Of A Voyage To New South Wales, Published In 1790 Carried - Sixty Five Illustrations Of Non Descript Animals, Birds, Lizards, Serpents, Curious Cones Of Trees And Other Natural Productions."

John White Died In Sussex, England in 1832.

The New South Wales Lands Department - Bridge Street - Old Sydney Town

The NSW Lands Department - Bridge Street -  Green Plaque - Historical Marker 3

Well This Is Some Pics I Took Of The NSW Lands Department In Bridge Street

Farm Cove - Next To The Royal Botanical Gardens - Sydney - New South Wales

Farm Cove - Westrn Side 

Farm Cove Is A Wide Crescent Bay Between Sydney Cove & Woolloomooloo Bay. Sloping Down To The Roomy Foreshores Are Government House Grounds, The Botanical Gardens (An Arboreal Sanctuary of 66 Acres, & The Domain 125 Acres. 

A. Tree Shaded Creek Flow Through the Gardens Where A Memorial Plaque States "In These Gardens Began The Agriculture & Horticulture Of A Continant. The First Farm In Australia Was Established On This Site With Seeds &Plants Brought By The First Fleet in 1788." Here, Where Kangaroos & Emus Had Browsed On The Tough Grass Since Time Began, convicts With Axes Destroyed Trees Or hoed &Harrowed The Fertile Soil. 

In 1813 A Road Three Miles And 367 Yards Long Was Built Through The Farm To The Eastern Portion Of The Cove (Native Name Yourong) Where On The 13th June 1816 An Inscription was Etched On A Huge Sandstone Rock Known As Mrs Macquarie's Chair. Here The Governor's Wife Could Rest After Her Long Walk from Government House In Bridge Street, Or Watch The Panorama Of Pinchgut Rock.,, Where Unruly Convicts Were Banished For Their Sins And Fed ON Bread And Water Until Their "Pinched Guts" Made Them More Reasonable To Discipline. 

Governor Phillip Lived On The Warship "Sirius" Until The 18th Of February 1788..... 

"When He Left The "Sirius" And Took Up His Residence In Shore"

Before Leaving London The Governor Had Ordered, At A Cost Of £125, Frpm Smith Of St George's Fields, A Canvas House To Be Erected On Numbered Frames And Used As A Temporary Residence. 

David Collons - Judge Advocate, Wrote In His Account Of The English Colony

"A Portable Canvas House, Brought Over For The Governor, Was Erected On The East Side Of The Cove.... Where Also A Small Body Of Convicts Was Out Under Tent The Detachment Of Marines Was Emcamped At The Head Of The Cove, Near The Stream, And On The West Side  Was Placed The Main Body Of Convicts." 

This Government House Was Built Where Governor Phillip Wrote - "Ships Can Anchor Close To The Shore. At A Very Small Expense Quays May Be Constructed At Which The Largest Vessels May Unload. The Cove Is About A Half Mile In Length, And A Quarter Of A Mile Across The Entrance." 

Farm Cove is a small, picturesque bay located on the southern shore of Sydney Harbor, adjacent to the Sydney Central Business District (CBD). It has a rich history that dates back to the early colonial period of Australia. Here's an overview of the history of Farm Cove:

1. Indigenous Land: Prior to European settlement, the land around Farm Cove was inhabited by the Gadigal people, an indigenous group of the Eora nation. They had lived in the Sydney area for thousands of years, and the cove would have been a part of their traditional lands.

2. Colonial Settlement: When the British First Fleet arrived in Sydney Cove in 1788 and established the first European settlement, Farm Cove was included within the boundaries of what became Sydney. Governor Arthur Phillip, the first governor of New South Wales, selected the area around Farm Cove for the government garden and farm.

3. Government Garden: Governor Phillip established a garden in the Farm Cove area in 1788 to grow food crops to supplement the colony's limited food supply. This garden, known as the Government Garden, was one of the earliest European-style gardens in Australia.

4. Botanic Gardens: In 1816, Governor Lachlan Macquarie expanded and formalized the Government Garden, transforming it into the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. This marked the beginning of the garden's role as a center for the study and cultivation of plants. The Botanic Garden is now one of the oldest scientific institutions in Australia.

5. Cultural Significance: Farm Cove and the Royal Botanic Garden have played a significant role in Sydney's cultural and scientific life. The garden houses a diverse collection of plants, including many rare and exotic species. It is also home to scientific research and educational programs.

6. Landmarks: Farm Cove is home to several notable landmarks, including the iconic Sydney Opera House, which was completed in 1973. The Opera House's unique design has made it one of the most recognizable and celebrated buildings in the world.

7. Recreational Use: Today, Farm Cove and the surrounding area are used for various recreational purposes. People can stroll through the Royal Botanic Garden, enjoy picnics, or simply take in the stunning views of Sydney Harbor. The cove's location also makes it a popular spot for events, including the annual New Year's Eve fireworks display.

8. Preservation: Efforts have been made to preserve and protect the natural beauty and historical significance of Farm Cove and the Royal Botanic Garden. Conservation initiatives aim to protect the native flora and fauna in the area and maintain the cultural heritage associated with the garden.

Farm Cove, with its historical importance and scenic beauty, continues to be a cherished part of Sydney's landscape. It reflects the city's colonial past and its ongoing commitment to horticulture, botany, and the natural environment.

First Fleet & The Colony Of New South Wales

Friday 18th January 1788 - 

This Was The Commencement Of The Fleet Entering Botany Bay. The "Supply" Arrived On Friday Afternoon. It Anchored On The Northern Side Of Botany Bat And Waited Fit All The Ither Ships To Arrive 

Saturday 19th January 1788 -

"The Alexander", "Scarborough" And "Friendship" Arrived In The Bay. 

50 - 60 Natives Were Seen On The Point Of Botany Bay 

Sunday 20th January 1788 - 

By 7am, The Other 7 Ships Had All Arrive In The Bay. 

Governor Phillip Didn't Find Botany Bay Suitable For The Establishmey If Na Colony Because The Soil Was Poor And Sandy, There Wasn't Enough Fresh Water, And Botany Bat Was Quite Shallow So Hils Couldn't Be Moored Near The Shore. Another Factor Was That Botany Bay Was Buffeted By Strong Winds From The Sea. 

Monday 21st January 1788 - 

A Fleet Of 2 Warships, six transports, and three supply vessels, commanded by Captain Arthur Phillip, Sailed From Portsmouth on the 12th May 1787 For New South Wales. After Visiting  Rio De Janiero And Cape Town, The First Fleet Circled The Cape Of Good Hope and, Sailing East Across The  Indian Ocean, safely rounded the stormy south coast of Van Diemans Land. Most of the Fleet dropped anchor at Botany Bay about the 20th January 1788 after a voyage of 8 months, during which they had sailed  15, 063 miles. A Survey was made of Botany Bay , but because of the scarcity og fresh water it was decided to seek a new site for a settlement. 

on the 22nd January 1788 Phillip headed a boat party to a harbour nine miles north of Botany Bay, which Cook Had Sighted  and named Port Jackson in 1770, Phillip noted in his journal  that he had had 'The Satisfaction To Find One Of The Finest Harbours In The World, In Which A Thousand Sail Of The Line Might Ride In Perfect Security. 

The Fleet Up Anchored from Botany Bay and after a few hours were safely moored in Sydney Cove. 

Phillip Wrote -

 "In The Evening Of The 26th January 1788, The Colours Were Displayed On Shore, And The Governor, With Several Of His Principle Officers And Others, Assembled Around The Flagstaff, Drank The Kings Health, And Success To The Settlement."

Today a replica of the original flag fliers from the mast on Loftus Street outside Customs House and a plaque on the wall of the building says - 

"This Flag Was Erected To Commemorate The Location At Which The First Ceremony Of Saluting The Flag By Captain Arthur Phillip R.N., And His Company Took Place To Mark The Foundation Of Australia On The 26th January 1788

It has been Stated, but there is no proof, that a huge She Oak tree benath which Governor Arthur Phillip Held The Foundation Ceremony was preserved until 1832. Liuetenant Phillip Gidley King, An Onlooker, later The Third Governor Of New South Wales Recorded That 

"The Marines And Convicts Are To Be Encamped On The West Side, And The Governor And Staff With His Guard On The East Side Of The Rivulet"

The First Picture Of Sydney, Drawn By Captain John Hunter. The Canvas House Erected For Governor Phillip Is Probably The Tent Like building With The Flagstaff. Today A Replica Flag Flies From The Mast In Loftus Street Next To Customs House & A Plaque Which Reads "This Flag Was Erected To Commemorate The Location At Which The First Ceremony Of Saluting The Flag By Captain Arthur Phillip R.N. And His Company Took Place To Mark The Foundation Of Australia On 26th January 1788."

It Has Been Stated, That A Huge She Oak Tree Beneath Which Governor Phillip Held The Foundation Ceremony Was Preserved Until 1832. lieutenant Phillip King, An Onlooker, Later The Third Governor of New South Wales, Recorded That The Marines & Convicts Are To Be Emcamped On The West Side, & The Governor & Staff Were on The East Side Of The Rivulet" Which Became The Tank Stream

"New Holland" "Terra Australis" - "The Great Southern Land

"New Holland" Is A Very Large Tract If Land. It Is Not Yet Determined Whether It Is An Island Or A Continant, But I Am Certain That It Joins Neither To Asia, Africa, Nor America." - William Dampier 

He Came To That Conclusion In 1688..... & A Century Later.... No one Could Be Any More Confident In That Opinion. 


The Situation Chosen By Arthur Phillip Was Suitable For The Purpose It Was Intended; the Geographical Features Made Sydney. A Natural Goal At The Same Time Made It Extremely Difficult To Explore. For About 30 Miles From The Coast Stretched A Plain...... Then Rose.... Steep & Rough