The Colonial Secretary’s Building - 121 Macquarie St - 65 Bridge St - 44-50 Phillip St - Sydney - NSW

Walk Bridge Street past the Lands Department and the next sandstone pile is easy to mix up with its neighbours — don’t. The Chief Secretary’s Building, long known as the Colonial Secretary’s Building, is the ornate government block at 121 Macquarie Street, also addressing 65 Bridge Street and 44–50 Phillip Street. Colonial Architect James Barnet designed the original Victorian Free Classical pile; the first four levels ran from 1873 to about 1881. In 1894–96 Government Architect Walter Liberty Vernon added a fifth-floor mansard and dome in Second Empire taste, plus a further Phillip Street extension. Barnet disliked the changes — they pulled the building away from his Palazzo Farnese model.

For decades this was a nerve centre of colonial and state administration. Premiers including Sir Henry Parkes used prestige corner rooms. Exterior sculpture and lavish stairs, marble and decorative arts were meant to look like a colony that intended to last, sitting beside the Domain and the later Garden Palace grounds. The building is State Heritage listed and has stayed in government use; in more recent times it has housed the Governor of New South Wales’ office and courtroom functions linked to industrial relations jurisdictions — which is why older labels say “Industrial Relations Building.”

Photographs here show the Bridge Street and Macquarie Street elevations, sculptural detail, and the celebrated interior stair.

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I Asked Someone There The Meaning Of This Statue.....  They Didn't Have A Clue

This Is At The Bottom 

This Was The Stone Mason 

Just Look At Those Stairs......  AMAZING

King George III - Royal Commission - Arthur Phillip - Governor In Chief - February 7th 1788

Arthur Phillip’s Instructions From King George III

George III
By The Grace Of God. 
King Of Great Britain, 
France & Ireland....

Defender Of The Faith; 
To Our Trusty & Well Beloved Arthur Phillip Esq
We Reposing ESpecial Trust 
& Confidence In The Prudence, Courage & Loyalty Of You, 
The Said Arthur Phillip, Of Our Special Grace,
Have Thought Fit To Constitute & Appoint You 
To Be Our Captain General & Governor In Chief,
In & Over Our Territory Called New South Wales.

Extending From The Northern Cape Or Extremity Of The Coast Called Cape York, in Latitude 10 Degrees 37 Minutes, 

To The Southern Extremity, in Latitude 43 Degrees  39 Minutes South.
 & All The Country Westward, 
To the 135th Degree Of East Longitude, Including All The Islands, 
Adjacent In The Pacific Ocean, Within The Latitude Name.

Our Will & Pleasure Is That You Take The Oath 
For The Due Execution Of The Office Of Trust Of Our Captain General & Governor In chief For The Due & Impartial Administration, Of Justice 
& We Do Hereby, Authorise & Empower You To Keep & Use The Public Seal, 
For Sealing All Things Whatsoever, That Shall Pass The Great Seal Of Our Said Territory & It's Dependancies.
We Further Give & Grant Unto You, Full Power & Authority,
 To Administer & Give  Oaths,
To Every Such Person Or Persons As You Shall See Fit, 
& To Constitute & Appoint Justices Of The Peace,
 Coroners, Constables, & Such Other Necessary Officers
 For The Better Administration Of Justice. 
To Pardon Offences, 
Remit Fines & Forfeitures, 
To Levy, Arm, Muster, 
Command & Employ All Persons Whatsoever
 Residing Within The Said Territory & It's Dependancies,
 For The Resisting Of All Enemies, 
Pirates & Rebels, 
Both At Sea & Land.
To Execute Martial Law, In Time Of Invasion, 
Or At Other Times, When By Law, It May Be Executed
To Erect, Raise & Build So Many Forts Platforms, Castles & Cities, Burrows, Towns & Fortifications, As You Shall Judge Necessary
To Constitute & Appoint Captains, Leutenants, Masters Of Ships & Other Commanders & Officers, To Punish Convicts & Execute OffendersAt Sea Or During Their Time Of Abode at Ports, Harbours & Bays
We Likewise Give & Grant You Full Power & Authority To Grant Land, To Control Commerce, To Appoint Fair, Marts & Markets.
& We Require & Command All Officers & Members,
 Civil & Military, & All Other Inhabitants,
 To Be Obedient, Aiding & Assisting To You, The Said Arthur Phillip, 
In The Execution Of This  Our Commission, 
& In Case Of Your Death Or Absence, Out Of The Said Territory
To Be Obedient Aiding & Assisting To Such Person  
As Shall Be Appointed By Us To Be Captain Loeutenant Governor or Commander In Chief,
Witnessed Ourselves  At Westminter on The 2nd Day Of April In The 27th Year Of Our Reign, By Writ Of Privy Seal.

& For So Doing,This Shall Be Your Warrant,
Given At Our Court At St James,The 26th Day Of March, 1787
In The 27th Year Of Our Reign
God Save The King  










READ TO ALL CONVICTS AND MARINES PRESENT ON FEBRUARY 7th 1788

Captain Arthur Phillip & The First Fleet Arriving At Botany Bay -January 1788

Captain Arthur Phillip & The First Fleet Arriving At Botany Bay - 18th January 1788 

Captain Arthur Phillip Was Aboard "The Sirius" Which Was The First Of The 12 Ships To Finally Arrive At The Shores Of New Holland.
No White Men Had Ventured Along The Eastern Coastline Since Captain James Cook Had Sailed And a Mapped The Coastline On An Exloration mission Aboard "The Endeavour" In 1770. 
Sir Joseph Banks Was Also Aboard "The Endeavour" With Captain Cook Recording All The New Flora And Fauna That They Came Across On Their Travels Of New Holland. 
Both Captain Cook And Joseph Banks Had Described The a Eastern Coastline  As Hospitable. 
When Captain Arthur Phillip Arrived On The Shores Of a Botany Bay 18 Years Later.... What He Found Was Something Completely  Different. The Soil Was Sandy And The a landscape Was Semi Arid. There Was No Source If Fresh Drinking Water Nearby. 
Phillip Was Disappointed With What He Found At Botany Bay. The a Water a Was a shallow, So Ships Couldn't Get Close To The   Shoreline, So Everything Would Have To Be Done By Long Boat......  To Begin With.... 

Captain Arthur Phillip.... With Disappointment... And Maybe Even With  A Little Despair.... After Sailing Halfway around The Known World With 12 Ships Fully Laden a With Convicts, Crew And Supplies To Set Up A New Colony.... And After 8 Months At Sea.... There Was No Returning To Portsmouth.... Or Anywhere Or Any Port In The Known British World.. 
Once All 12 Ships Had  Got The Westerly Winds To Push Them
Into Botany Bay, He Decided He Woukd Take A Small Expedition Crew With Him To Try And Locate A Better Spot To Set Up The New Penal Settlement. 
As He Sailed Up The Eastern Coast Approximately 4 Nautical Miles, He Came To The Heads Captain Cook Had Mapped ain 1770, And a which He Hsd Named Port Jackson, But Captain Cook Never Ventured In Between The Heads At The Time. 
Arthur Phillip And His Expedition Crew Sailed In Approximately Another 4 Nautical Miles When He Came To The Modern Day "Farm Cove" & "Sydney Cove" 
Here He Found A Fresh Source If Running Water, Which a Would a Then Go On To Be Named The Tank Stream, The Bay a Was a Almost Naturally Perfectly Circular, With Deep Harbour Waters, So Ships a Were Almost Aboe To Sail Right To a The Shoreline. 
David Collins Wrote In His Journal - 
"The Spot Chosen, Was At The Head Of The Cove, Near The Run Of Fresh Water, Which Stole Silently Through A Very Thick Wood; The Stillness Of Which Had Then, For The First Time Since Creation, Been Interrupted By The Rude Sound Of The Labourer's Axe... And The Downfall Of Its Ancient Inhabitants. A Stillness And Tranquility Which; From That Day Were To Surrender And Give Way To The Voice Of Labour... And The Confusion Of Camps And Towns..."

Sydney Harbour Bridge 80th Anniversary (2012)

The Sydney Harbour Bridge spans the harbour at its narrowest between Dawes Point (south) and Milsons Point (north) — a riveted steel through-arch carrying road, rail and footways, with granite-faced concrete pylons. Ideas for a fixed crossing circulated through the nineteenth century (Francis Greenway is often cited as an early advocate under Macquarie); serious modern planning crystallised under engineer J. J. C. Bradfield, appointed to harbour-bridge and city-transit work from 1912. The Sydney Harbour Bridge Act 1922 authorised a high-level cantilever or arch; the construction contract went to Dorman, Long & Co. of Middlesbrough in 1924, with detailed structural design associated with Sir Ralph Freeman.

Approach and foundation work ran through the mid-1920s; the arch halves met in 1930. Premier Jack Lang officially opened the Bridge on 19 March 1932 — famously after New Guard member Francis de Groot slashed the ceremonial ribbon. Roughly eight years of construction employed thousands through the Depression; granite came from Moruya, steel from England and Australian mills. The Bridge remains a National Heritage–listed landmark and the everyday link Bradfield tied to the City Circle and northern lines.

The 2012 “80th anniversary” framing and any embedded video can stay as media; the paragraphs above are the place history the thin anniversary heading lacked.

Celebrating 100 Years of Colonisation – The Daily Mirror – Special Liftout

Celebrating 100 Years Of Colonisation In Australia

 I Just Happened To Find These Bits Pf The Newspaper Underneath The Lino In My House As I Was Lifting Up The Old Carpets. These Must Have Been Laid Sometime Around 1888 For The Centneary Of Colonisation In Australia.

So It Must’ve Been My Great Grandparents Who Did The Hard Work...

 - Arrival Of The First Fleet 

Lindsay House – 12 Carthona Avenue – Darling Point – New South Wales

Lindesay - 1 Carthona Avenue - Darling Point - New South Wales. 

1. LINDESAY Is A National Trust Property. It Has Georgian Interiors With Fine Australian & English Furniture, Which Are Complimented By An Elegant Parterre Garden And Well Tended Grounds With Uninterrupted Harbour Views.

2. It Was Built By The Colonial Treasurer Campbell Drummond Riddell In 1834. He Purchased 17 Acres Reserved For Him By The Acting Colony's Governor, Lieutenant Patrick LINDESAY.
3. It Is Believed That The Favour Of Reserving The Land Led Riddell To Name The House After Best Friend, & Fellow Scot, Patrick LINDESAY. It was The First House  To Be Built In The Suburb, & Attracted Many Distinguished Occupants.







4. The House Had Many Famous Owners. It Was Purchased By Sir Thomas Mitchell In 1841. I'm The 1830's Mitchell Undertook Three Major Expeditions. throughout Australia, Took His Reports Back To England And Was Knighted For His Effort.










5. Sir Charles Nicholson Purchased LINDESAY In 1845, After Moving To Sydney In 1843 & Being Elected Ti The New South Wales Legislative Council. He Later Became Speaker






Sir Charles Nicholson Purchased LINDESAY In 1845, After Moving To Sydney In 1843 & Being Elected Ti The New South Wales Legislative Council. He Later Became Speaker Of The House. He Sold LINDESAY To William Bradley In 1849.
6. City Of Shdney Councillor  John Macintosh Brought The Property In 1868. While He Was At LINDESAY, Mr Macintosh Built Two Other Houses On Darling Point - Braeside And Cintra - For His Children.
7. In 1911 John Macintosh Died At Kindesay A d It Was Sold Two Years Later To Alfred Wunderlich Who Subdivided The Land. In 1914 Dr Edaard Jenkins Blufht The House.
8. In 1926 The Jankins Family Moved To A Smaller House, At 35 New South .  ahead Road, Vaucluse. LINDESAY Was  The. purchased By Charles and Mary spy's, Who Lived The Rest If Their Lives In The House, And After another Had Died Ther So. Charles Handed Over The Property To The National Trust If Australi In 1963.
9. The House Is The First Domestic Example Of Gothic architecture ln Australia. The Interiors, Restored By The National Trust Of Australia Represent The Prominant Fanilies That All lived There.
10. LINDESAY Is Open To The Public On The First Thursday Of Every Month, With Guided Tours At 10am, 11am, & Noon. The Cost Is $10, Or Free For National Trust Members. LINDESAY

7th Feb 1788 - Arthur Phillip’s Instructions From King George III & The NSW Enabling Act

7th February 1788 - Arthur Phillip’s Instructions From King George III, And The NSW Enabling Act 

The Colony Of New South Wales Was Set Up Through An Act Of Parliament (Of The Kingdom Of Great Britain) Before Phillip Left With The First Fleet in 1787, In The 24th Year Of The Reign Of King George III.
This Was called  "A Royal Commission" & I Guess That's Where The Term Comes From As We Hear About It Today.
I've Always Wondered If This Was Like. In A Sealed Envelope With Red Wax..... 
Just Like In The Movies....
 Did Arthur Phillip Know Of The Exact Contents???
 Or Did He Only Have an Idea of What King George III, Lord Sydney, & The Privy Council Had Laid Out For Him....


I Bet There would've  Been Some Bitterness And Jealousy Between Him And His Officers. From What I've Read About Arthur Phillip, He Was A Very Humble, Thoughtful, Caring Man.

He Was In Charge Of The First Fleet, Which left Portsmouth in 1787, eight months Before They Finally Made It To Botany Bay. He Made Sure All men Women And Children Were Catered For And Hardly Anyone Was Sick Or Died On The Voyage Itself.

Had It Not Been For All The Preparations and All The Little Things Right Down To Bringing Tools to Use For Building etc Were All His Actions. It Appears That England Just Wanted To Get Rid Of  Their Prisoners. The Prisons Were Overflowing. I Get The Feeling They Would've Been quite Happy To Send These Prisoners On A Suicide Voyage.... Never To Be Heard If Again
It was on The 7th Of February That The Royal Commission From Emgland Was Read To All Convicts


The colony of New South Wales was established by an Act of the Parliament (of the Kingdom of Great Britain) in 1787 and in the 24th year of the reign of King George III[1]:
"And whereas his Majesty, by two several Orders-in-Council, bearing date respectively on the sixth day of December, 1786, hath judged fit, by and with the advice of his Privy Council, to declare and appoint the place to which certain offenders, named in two lists to the said several Orders-in-Council annexed, should be transported for the time or term in their several sentences mentioned, to be the eastern coast of New South Wales, or some one or other of the islands adjacent."

The 7th of February, 1788, was the memorable day which established a regular form of Government on the coast of New South Wales. For obvious reasons, all possible solemnity was given to the proceedings necessary on this occasion. On a space previously cleared, the whole colony was assembled; the military drawn up, and under arms; the convicts stationed apart; and near the person of the Governor, those who were to hold the principal offices under him. The Royal Commission was then read by Mr. D. Collins, the Judge Advocate. By this instrument Arthur Phillip was constituted and appointed Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over the territory, called New South Wales; extending from the northern cape, or extremity of the coast, called Cape York, in the latitude of ten degrees, thirty-seven minutes south, to the southern extremity of the said territory of New South Wales, or South Cape, in the latitude of forty-three degrees, thirty-nine minutes south, and of all the country inland to the westward, as far as the one hundred and thirty-fifth degree of east longitude, reckoning from the meridian of Greenwich, including all the islands adjacent in the Pacific Ocean, within the latitudes aforesaid of 10°. 37'. south, and 43°. 39'. south, and of all towns, garrisons, castles, forts, and all other fortifications, or other military works which may be hereafter erected upon the said territory, or any of the said islands. The act of Parliament establishing the courts of judicature was next read; and lastly, the patents under the great seal, empowering the proper persons to convene and hold those courts whenever the exigency should require. The Office of Lieutenant Governor was conferred on Major Ross, of the Marines. A triple discharge of musquetry concluded this part of the ceremony; after which Governor Phillip advanced, and addressing first the private soldiers, thanked them for their steady good conduct on every occasion: an honour which was repeated to them in the next general orders. He then turned to the convicts, and distinctly explained to them the nature of their present situation. The greater part, he bade them recollect, had already forfeited their lives to the justice of their country: yet, by the lenity of its laws, they were now so placed that, by industry and good behaviour, they might in time regain the advantages and estimation in society of which they had deprived themselves. They not only had every encouragement to make that effort, but were removed almost entirely from every temptation to guilt. There was little in this infant community which one man could plunder from another, and any dishonest attempts in so small a society would almost infallibly be discovered. To persons detected in such crimes, he could not promise any mercy; nor indeed to any whom, under their circumstances, should presume to offend against the peace and good order of the settlement. What mercy could do for them they had already experienced; nor could any good be now expected from those whom neither past warnings, nor the peculiarities of their present situation could preserve from guilt. Against offenders, therefore, the rigour of the law would certainly be put in force: while they whose behaviour should in any degree promise reformation, might always depend upon encouragement fully proportioned to their deserts. He particularly noticed the illegal intercourse between the sexes as an offence which encouraged a general profligacy of manners, and was in several ways injurious to society. To prevent this, he strongly recommended marriage, and promised every kind of countenance and assistance to those who, by entering into that state, should manifest their willingness to conform to the laws of morality and religion. Governor Phillip concluded his address, by declaring his earnest desire to promote the happiness of all who were under his government, and to render the settlement in New South Wales advantageous and honourabe to his country.
This speech, which was received with universal acclamations, terminated the ceremonial peculiar to the day. Nor was it altogether without its proper effect: For we are informed, that in the course of the ensuing week fourteen marriages took place among the convicts. The assembly was now dispersed, and the Governor proceeded to review the troops on the ground cleared for a parade: after which, he gave a dinner to the officers, and the first evening of his government was concluded propitiously, in good order and innocent festivity, amidst the repetition of wishes for its prosperity.
A rising government could not easily be committed to better hands. Governor Phillip appears to have every requisite to ensure the success of the undertaking intrusted to him, as far as the qualities of one man can ensure it. Intelligent, active, persevering with firmness to make his authority respected, and mildness to render it pleasing, he was determined, if possible, to bring even the native inhabitants of New South Wales into a voluntary subjection; or at least to establish with them a strict amity and alliance. Induced also by motives of humanity, it was his determination from his first landing, to treat them with the utmost kindness: and he was firmly resolved, that, whatever differences might arise, nothing less than the most absolute necessity should ever compel him to fire upon them. In this resolution, by good fortune, and by his own great address, he has happily been enabled to persevere. But notwithstanding this, his intentions of establishing a friendly intercourse have hitherto been frustrated. M. De la Peyrouse,* while he remained in Botany Bay, had some quarrel with the inhabitants, which unfortunately obliged him to use his fire-arms against them: this affair, joined to the ill behaviour of some of the convicts, who in spite of all prohibitions, and at the risque of all consequences, have wandered out among them, has produced a shyness on their parts which it has not yet been possible to remove, though the properest means have been taken to regain their confidence. Their dislike to the Europeans is probably increased by discovering that they intend to remain among them, and that they interfere with them in some of their best fishing places, which doubtless are, in their circumstances, objects of very great importance. Some of the convicts who have straggled into the woods have been killed, and others dangerously wounded by the natives, but there is great reason to suppose that in these cases the convicts have usually been the aggressors.

George III, By The Grace If God. King Of Great Britain, Ireland Abd France, Defender Of The Faith
We Reposing A Special Trust In You, The Said Arthur Phillip, Have Thought Fit To Constitute And Appoint You As Governor General Or Commander In Chief, In And Over Our Territory New South Wales, From The Northern Point Or Coastal Extremity Called Cape York Latitude 10 Degrees 37 minutes, To The Southern Coastal Extremity In Latitude 43 Degrees 39 Minutes South, & All The Country Westward To The 135th Degree Of East Longitude, Including All The Islands In The Pacific Ocean, Within The Latitude Name.
Our Will & Pleasure Is That You Take The Oath For The Office Of leautenant General Or Commander In Chief, In And Over Our Territory Called New South Walles

Waltzing Matilda - Banjo Paterson - Happy memories Of the Good Old Australia..

waltzing matilda

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled:
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me?"
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."
Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong.
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee.
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me",
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."
Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred.
Down came the troopers, one, two, and three.
"Whose^{[N 1]} is that ^{[N 2]} jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me",
"Whose is that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."
Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong.
"You'll never take me alive!" said he
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong:
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me?"
Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me",
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong:
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me?"